Harry and Daphne the Sequel
by The Light from Within
Summary: This takes up at the end of 'Harry and Daphne'. Major characters: Minerva, Harry, the usual central characters from the previous story. Remus and Sirius are included.
1. Chapter 1

** Book 2**

** Harry and Daphne – The Sequel**

Author's Notes: Shortly before I finished the previous chapter, the 'ending' of the story, I was thinking of what would or should happen. I gave some hints in the previous couple of chapters. I wrote the ending of my story before I'd finished the previous couple of chapters that lead to the ending. So, here I am, writing what's happening since the great battle between good and evil. Remember, now, evil never rests. I'll be writing from two different time periods: one is when Harry's Parents were killed that night in Godric's Hollow and the second is when Harry first awoke at the end of the previous story, when he realized he was just eleven and standing on Hogwarts station, with Minerva, preparing to board the train. I'm trying to catch up the two time periods. It'll take a while. Just bare with me. Read, enjoy. I'm posting what I've written with each post.

** Book 2, Chapter 1**

** Author's Note: Here, the end of the Previous story of 'Harry and Daphne', to bring you up to date some and remind you of those last few paragraphs.**

** _With that statement, Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked upon the scene before him. _**

_** "Come on, son, button up, it's time to board the Hogwarts express!" There, Minerva McGonagall, the Greatest Headmistress of the Most Ancient and Most Noble School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, took her Son's hand and walked him to the train. **_

_** Even though they lived at the school, even though she and her Son, Harry, had their own Manor House that befitted a Dame of the British Realm and a Knight of that same Realm who was also the personal Protector of the Queen herself and all her legal successors, still, they went to Kings' Cross Station and boarded the Hogwarts Express just like everyone else. Neither would have it any other way!**_

_** Harry looked around, surprise written and illustrated all over his very young face. It was then, THEN, that eleven years of his life suddenly exploded across his memories and his face. He could thusly remember in exact vivid detail of the years of his Mum, Minerva, loving him and telling him how much she loved him, of the many kisses she'd given him, and all the lessons she'd taught him. He recalled even being in her classrooms as she taught Transfiguration for the last eleven years of his life. He recalled being with the students, of walking through the halls of the School, holding his Mums' hand, of even being carried by her when he was just too young to even walk! He recalled, vividly, being with each of the Professors in their classes, and of his favorites, that very small professor of Charms and that smiling professor, Professor Severus Snape, who taught him some potions, who'd given him presents and held him in his arms when he was so very young. **_

_** Harry looked up at Minerva, the Most Famous Headmistress that Hogwarts had ever had, smiling, "Mum, I do love you, you know that, don't you?" **_

_** Tears came to Minerva's eyes, and she knelt down to her son, and holding him in her arms so unashamedly, with so many students and their parents looking upon them, they were all smiling, she looked into her sons' eyes, almost nose to nose, "Yes, my dear beloved Son, I KNOW you love me as I have always loved you!" **_

_** With that statement said by the Greatest Headmistress of Hogwarts, Harry, just eleven years of age and just beginning his first year of School, Harry held up his Wand and with all the Grand Memories rushing throughout his mind and heart, Pronounced Loudly – "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**_

_** Author's Note: Now, to continue on with what happened. Here, Harry's now eleven and the Grand Lady Hogwarts has given her Heir the second chance he's earned. **_

There, in the center of the Rail Road station's walkway where stood hundred's of Witches and Wizards, was one small boy holding up his wand with his Mum kneeling in front of him, her hands on his shoulders when he pronounced in a very loud voice the most difficult charm that the Magical World had known. There, standing amongst many families was an eleven year old boy whom they all knew, both by reputation and by sight, producing not just a Patronus, but multiple Patronus' consisting of five women, all dressed in what appeared to be apparel that was at least a decade out of date. They all immediately flew out of Harry's wand, racing around the crowd, looking for what, for them would be danger to their very young wizard. Finding none, they all came back to him and stood around him and one by one, they all wrapped their arms around him, hugging him and kissed him on his cheeks and on his lips! Each of them were smiling as they stood back and faced the crowd, surrounding their very young Master and Lord.

What, later, some observers would say, was that they appeared to be just like everyone else there 'cept for that slightly silvery glow that surrounded each of the five Patronus'. They all five, were as solid appearing as any other person you'd see there at the Hogwarts Train Station.

No one moved, nor said a word, not even apparently breathed, the spectacle was so unexpected, so fantastic and so lovely and charming.

Gradually, they dissolved away as young Harry James Potter, the eleven year old boy stood by his Mum and looked at her, smiling. "Thanks, Mum, for raising me and loving me. It's because of you that I can make my Patronus just like Uncle Remus taught me."

"Son, it's because of what's inside your heart that you can do that." Here, Minerva placed her soft gentle hand on her sons' chest, lightly. "You'll do very well at school, this year and every year afterwards."

Behind her stood two Wizards, Family to the young Wizard. "Now, Minerva, we don't want to get too teary eyed here in public, do we? Our young Protege will do just find in school, just like we've all taught him, Won't he Padfoot?"

"Yea, Moony, he'll do just fine. We'll all be looking out for him. You'll be there Minerva, just like you've always been. You've no need to worry. You've been a great Mum to him, Lily and James would be so proud of him and grateful to you for all you've done."

Minerva stood up and composed herself, wiping her teary eyes with her tissues she always carried. "Well, it's time to go, son, I'll meet you at school along with the rest."

"Ok, Mum." Harry looked at Minerva, Remus and Sirius, waived and boarded the Hogwarts Express for what to many first years was their first ride. Except for one Harry Potter.

Author's note: Here is a leap back in time to that eventful night on Holloween, 1981. Certain events took place that you have to be aware of, otherwise, many questions will be asked.

It was a very dark and stormy night in northern Scotland. The Lady Hogwarts has sent Harry back to the night of 31 October 1981 with, of course, a few changes, again, for Harry's sake.

Minerva was in her office pacing around waiting for any contact that she'd sent out. The Potters, James and Lily and their barely a year old son, Harry, were at home in Godric's Hollow. She'd received word from her contact, Severus, that Voldemort was going to attack someone this evening, but she'd not heard either 'who' or 'when'.

She'd given him a special Galleon, fake, of course, imbued with a Protean Charm to contact her with the information so she could assist. James and Lily were adamant in not leaving. Peter was their Secret Keeper, but she'd not known this fact. She knew they lived in that Hollow, but not where. The Potter's had owned Real Estate there for over a thousand years, as long as Hogwarts has been in existence. That much was just general common knowledge. Had she'd known of Peters' involvement in the Fidelis Charm, she'd have warned them not to use him, she had her doubts about him. Something about him just didn't seem 'right'. It was her Transfiguration Skills and abilities that had alerted her to him, his body language, his demeanor, his comportment, all were 'off' to Minnie. As one of her favorite Muggle Terms went: It just didn't 'smell' right!

"Pacing this floor will not help me." So, she went back to her desk and speaking out loud, "Tippy!", a small female house elf appeared next to her.

"Head Mistress, hows may I help you?" she was one of Hogwarts most devoted elves and they all knew Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

"Please, would you be so kind as to get me a pot of tea? Chamomile with sugar, cream and lime juice on the side? Oh, and some of those delightful American Doughnuts? Please? It's going to be a very long night for me."

"Yes, Mistress." Tippy replied and left.

While Minnie was sitting there contemplating the nights' outcome, Tippy came back with a silver serving set as ordered. It was one of Minerva's private collections that was century's old, her favorite. "Thank you, Tippy. You always remember to use my favorite tea set." Minerva bent down an kissed Tippy on her forehead in appreciation. Tippy blushed and replied, "Thank you, headmistress, I's always happy to help you. You are the best Head that Hogwarts has ever had."

"Thank you, Tippy."

"I's have something to tell you. Something very important. Something will happen tonight, something both very sad and very good, very happy in the long run." Tippy was so nervous, she was twisting her ears and her tea towel she was wearing.

Minerva was alarmed at this. "Tell me, if you can, Tippy, You have nothing to worry about from me."

"I's know that, Headmistress. But, well, that evil wizard, the one who looks like a snake, he used to go to school here, none of us elves liked him, no one of us would go anywhere around him, not even to clean the Slytherin Common Rooms! For seven years we stayed away from there. He was the baddest of any wizard we's ever known."

"This concerns him, this evening, doesn't it?"

"Yes, but what's happening this evening, it's been foretold to us by the Grand Lady Hogwarts. She's told us that that evil wizard will die tonight, but that the child wizard, the boy will live and that you're to go there. We elves will be there with you and help protect you."

Minerva scrambled from her desk and ran to the fireplace waving her wand at the small pot of Floo Powder into the fire calling out "Amelia Bones!"

Shortly, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement appeared in the fireplace. "Minnie! What's wrong? It's very late."

"It's the Potters! Get all your Auror's there now, please! I'll be there shortly!"

Without any preamble, Minerva scrambled away and cut off the connection leaving Amelia, the absolute youngest Department head, to scramble all her manpower for an emergency strike. Even that old curmudgeon 'Mad Eye' would be there.

"Headmistress! Wait, please. There's more." Tippy asked hurriedly.

"What? What is it, Tippy?"

"What's going to happen tonight is foretold to us elves by the Grand Lady Hogwarts. It's already a part of our future that's just not happened yet! Please, don't go till we take you there. Certain events just have to happen to preserve lives, many lives, our entire culture's lives and then, even more. Wait and we'll take you there to rescue the baby wizard."

"But, the Potters! James and Lily . . ,!"

"They can't be saved. I's sorry, we elves are all sorry, but it's just their time to go. They'll be safe and happy on the other side of the Veil and they'll still watch out over their son, but the small child wizard, well, you's is The One, the One to take care of him."

Minerva McGonagall just stood there, absolutely speechless. Immovable.

"What do you mean 'Take care of him'?"

"Headmistress, tonight, and forever, you are going to be a Mother."

Minerva almost fell onto the floor. Her legs gave out and the elf conjured a chair for her instantly. She just could not talk.

"It's all been foretold to us and the events that brought this about has already happened. It can't be changed." Tippy snapped her fingers and all the rest of Hogwarts' elves appeared in the Office of the Head Mistress.

"It's time to go. We'll all help you and protect both you and the child." Tippy said that and again, they all disappeared, not disapparated as Wizards do.

The next thing Minerva knew was that she was in the yard of the Potter's Home, brought there by the Elves. Already it was smoking and half demolished. The elves went to work, immediately protecting Minerva, who'd drawn her wand and started firing off protection charms and deadly curses.

Death Eaters were there, leaving.

She'd fired off multiple curses and killed outright over half a dozen of the ones who'd been rampaging their people. Tonight, though, half of them would not survive. The rest would be terminally wounded and would die after they'd disapparated back to their destination. Among the dead she found one Peter Pettigrew, another wizard with long platinum blonde hair. "Lucius Malfoy! YOU! I KNEW you were dirty! Well, you've finally got your just reward. Good riddance to bad Rubbish!" she spit in his face for good measure. "Good thing you've not got any spawn that can carry on your shite work!" She looked around and saw other's whom she recognized: Bellatrix, and both the LeStrange Brothers as well as Too many others, she recognized them all as her former students. Minerva was very old and her memories went back a good long ways.

She looked up at the destroyed house and went in along with the elves. "Where's the child? Find him, please!" she got to the inside of the living room and saw James, around him lay many Death Eaters. "Well, James, you did yourself proud. You took out the lot of them. You always were the best at defense, but there were just too many." she bent down and touched his face lovingly. "You're a good man, James, you and Lily both are the best that our school produced, in every way. We'll find your son and take care of him, just the way you'd like. He'll know what love is and family, too. This I so swear!" She reached out and closed his eyes in respect and kept his wand for his son and took his wedding ring off his finger and kept it.

Up stairs she found the door to the nursery blown off and Lily laying down face up in front of the crib. In the crib stood a small toddler, one Harry James Potter. There, the elves took care of Lily's body, getting her wand and wedding ring and gave them to Minerva. She reached in and took Harry in her arms and hugged him, tears streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Minerva, the Greatest Headmistress that Hogwarts had ever Known was thus found, on her knees, holding the baby in her arms and not letting him go. She was found by Amelia, Kingsley, Mad-Eye Moody and many other Auror's plus every other one of the very young Auror's who were just out of Hogwarts, that Madam Bones could 'muster' into immediate service, was surrounded by her Elves.

Minerva was found, holding the barely year old Potter baby, in her arms, his head laying on her shoulder, rocking him back and forth, with many tears streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. She was surrounded by her Elves when the very young and youthful Amelia and her Auror's came in. The Shock was evident on her face, even that of the old retired Auror, 'Mad-Eye' Moody, the crusty old Auror who'd seen so many deaths, was himself wiping his eyes and sniffling.

The very young Amelia Bones, Madam Bones as she was called out of respect, walked up to the Headmistress, and placed her gentle hand on her shoulder, "Minerva, I'm here to help you and the young Potter heir. What can I do to help you?"

Minerva's crying slowly subsided and she looked up at her very promising Defense student, who'd graduated just a few short years ago. "If only I'd known of this attack, I could have helped prevent the deaths of James and Lily. Oh, Amelia, they needn't have died and left Harry alone. He has no family. He needs a home. The lost is just too great. What am I to do?"

Tippy, Minerva's Elf, walked up to her and placed her hand on Minerva's other shoulder. "Minerva, you's is the greatest Headmistress that Hogwarts has ever had, until now. You's is to be his Mother, the Greatest of Honor's. The young Potter has been very brave and sacrificed much to bring peace to our world. He has lost much, but with you's as his Mother, he will have a good family and will be loved by all, very much."

Minerva, still holding the small boy, looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time noticed a small scar on his forehead, in the shape of a lightening Bolt. "Harry! What happened to you? Where did this come from? Who did it?" Minerva brushed his hair out of his eyes and away from the scar that's on his forehead. It was bleeding profusely which worried Minerva.

"Amelia, look, look at his forehead, how do you suppose it happened?" Minerva began looking all over the child's body, searching for anymore injuries, but found none, none that were evident.

"Minerva, I think it'd be best to take him either to St. Mungo's or back to Hogwarts to Madam Pomfrey to have a full medical exam to see if he's alright. I'll have my Auror's accompany you and the elves for protection, if that's alright with you." Amelia bent down and looked at the young boy, today he was fifteen months old and could walk, and talk a few words. "And look at his eyes, Minerva. They're the brightest Emerald green I've ever seen! Amelia was smiling at him and when she spoke Harry looked directly at her and reached over towards her. Amelia took young Harry in her arms and held him. He just snuggled up to her, laying his head on her shoulder with his short little arms wrapped around her. He looked directly into Amelia's eye's, not blinking, just looking, and smiling. He reached out and touched her cheeks, running his small fingers over her face and hair.

"Minerva, have you ever seen a child act this way with anyone else? He's so loving and gentle and he's not even crying. I don't know what to make of it, but he seems to be so relaxed with both you and me. I, I just don't know what to say, but he's definitely a little charmer!"

Harry reached over to Minerva and she took him back. Harry just snuggle d back into Minerva's arms and reached over to her and kissed her on her cheek and said but one word: "Mum?" He then hugged her back and placing his head on her shoulders, went to sleep.

Minerva, with tears in her eyes, looked at Amelia, said "I want to get the paper work started to adopt young Harry. Can you help me with it? Please? I want to raise him myself. I'm sure the Elves at Hogwarts will be glad to help me with him."

"Sure, Minerva. You won't have any problems. His father is, was, a Lord and the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and has, or had, a seat on the Wizengamot. I'll get the Minister to help and since you're the Head of the Wizengamot, I'm sure you won't have any problems. You can always rely on me to help you with Harry here." Amelia said.

"Thank you, Amelia, thank you, so very much." Minerva said to the new Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Minerva got up, gathering the small child in her arms and with her elves having gathered their wands and rings, she set off back to Hogwarts. Amelia and her Auror's went back to the Ministry to file reports.

Amelia, back in her office, sat down and prepared her report to the Minister concerning what had happened that night. In one way, it was very sad, having lost almost an entire Ancient and Noble family, the Lord and Lady Potter, but, their son, their only child had survived. Also, those who'd committed this most horrible of deeds laid dead in what was left of the Home of the Potters.

And THAT was the most perplexing part.

What'd happened?

How – did the Potter child survive?

"Moody! I need to talk with you!" Amelia had gotten up and went to the room where the Auror's stayed while on duty.

There in the large office sat an old, elderly, gnarled one eyed man. If ever a small child should suddenly look at him, just the old Auror's looks alone would most likely scare the poor child. But, as old and gnarled as he looked, his demeanor towards the small, the innocent children, he was most tender and very observant and watchful towards their safety.

Amelia, as young as she was, barely twenty, now that she'd just taken on this job that was of the highest profile in the entire Ministry, watched Moody carefully. She had just finished Hogwarts and like her brother before her, she went into Auror Training under old 'Mad-Eye'. She'd known him all her life, and as difficult a trainer he was, she excelled so brilliantly, that old Mad-Eye was the only duelist who could take her down. Excepting for the short Charms Professor, Filius Flitwick. He was a professional Duelist and even he'd taken her under his wing and taught her all he knew. Moody had retired and didn't want the job as head of the Department, but, he'd suggested, very adamantly, Amelia's name and the reasons why. She was young, full of energy and had a certain 'insight' for the job that others' he'd trained, just did not. Of all the students who'd finished school, there was only one other who'd bested her academically, and that was Lily Evans. Lily wanted to marry and take on the Mantle of Lady of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter while Amelia wanted Law enforcement.

Amelia just stood there in the doorway of the Auror's offices, just thinking, remembering how she'd gotten this far._ 'How, How did I get this position? There are so many who were more qualified, but this position landed on me. Sometimes, I think it was the teaching that old Moody gave me, but I wonder.'_ Amelia walked in and sat down across the desk from Moody, still contemplating. She looked up at him and asked him a question.

"How'd I get here? As Department Head?" Amelia asked softly.

Old 'Mad Eye' snorted, "Simple. You're the best! You can out duel every Auror who'd ever come through that door, 'cept me and old Filius, and your academics are the best we've ever had. Plus, you have a brain and you think. What few cases you've been on, you've been the one to solve them when others' couldn't even. Nothing's been handed to you, missy. You've earned this position when all these lazy people figured since they're due it 'cause they're 'pure blooded' or some such shite as that."

Mad Eye looked at Amelia for a long few moments and something in his eye, his facial expression, what few he had, lit up. "It's what's happened tonight, isn't it?"

Startled, Amelia looked up at her mentor, "Why, what do you mean, Moody? I was just thinking. That's all."

Snorting, he replied at that put off remark. "Amelia, I've known you since the day you came into this world. You can't fool me. Something's got you thinking and it started with what happened tonight. Spill it. What happened?"

Amelia placed both elbows on the table and looked at Moody. "Tonight, Minerva was there at the Potter's home, what was left of it. She was in the upstairs nursery holding the young potter when I reached out and to her and young Harry reached out to me. All he did was touch my face and hair. He didn't cry, not a tear nor whimper and I took him in my arms and held him. He just looked at me with those emerald green eyes of his. Alastor, In my short life, never have I seen eyes that green. It seemed like, well, for a moment, I don't know how to describe it, but, it seemed like he knew me, like he recognized me or something. He just laid his head on my shoulder and put his small arms around me. Alastor, I've never seen him before this night, but he just accepted me. Something like that. I just can't put my finger on it nor on the warm feelings I've had, But, one thing I can say is, I LIKED the feeling I had when I was holding young mister Potter."

Alastor Moody, rubbed his face with his old gnarled hands and looked at Amelia, right into the depths of her eyes, never blinking. "Amelia, something happened tonight, something very important and it concerns you, Minerva and the Potter boy. It's Magic beyond anything I've ever felt previously. I could feel it surrounding you three. Stay close to them and see what happens. I do think you'll be surprised. But, guard them you must, for for every good thing that comes out of our Magical Heritage there is a balance with that which is evil."

Amelia sat there, looking at old Alastor and added something that just occurred to her. From whence it came, she knew not: "Maybe it's some kind of payment for something good that's been done in the past?"

"I don't know, but if you're right, whatever that child has done to earn such a magnitude of a magical gift, he will be strong with magic, mark my words."

"I'll look after him, discretely, of course, Alastor. And thank you, for all your help in my life."

"Oh, you're always welcome, Amelia. Your parents and brother were like a family to me. Neither of them ever turned their backs on me and I think it's time I've paid that debt."

"Alastor, that's what families do for one another, we are always there for each other." Amelia got up, preparing to go. "I've got to go and take care of more paperwork. Minerva wants to adopt Young Harry Potter. I do think that'll be good for her. She's always been like a Mum to all of her students there at Hogwarts and now, she'll have her very own son. But, I do think that boy will be spoiled rotten!"

"I dunno, Amelia. Minerva's a right tough old bird. I don't know how she does it, but no one could get anything past her, just ask James Potter and those rascals he palled around with. What'd they call themselves?" Alastor drummed his fingers on the table. "Oh, yea, the 'Mauraders'. They'd pull some stupid prank and there old Minerva would be, right on their backsides taking away points and giving out detentions. Young James Potter, Minerva once told me, had been given more detentions and had more points taken away from him than any other student in the entire History of that School. And you know who were the other two runners' up? It was his two friends, that boy from the Black family and the other, who I later found out was a werewolf!"

"You're kidding?!"

"Naw, that old biddy, kept his secret the entire time he was in school. In fact, Minerva knew of his condition even before his letter was sent out! I asked her once why she let him in and you know what she said? She told me that he was a good boy and just needed a chance to prove himself. He's right smart, pulled more than his share of pranks, but since he left school, even though he's had a right tough time, he's never been in trouble, in fact, there's been times when he's even helped me out. I've never forgotten that."

"Thanks for that bit of information, Alastor." I've got to go, we'll talk more later."

"Anytime, Amelia."

Amelia walked down the hall towards her office. She had much to think about, especially one small black haired little boy with the greenest eyes that penetrated into her soul. She just didn't know why.

Amelia was in her office when one of her Auror's came in, he was a rather young wizard she'd placed in charge of gathering evidence. "Madam Bones, may I speak with you?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"In searching the crime scene at the Potter's, I gather up all the bodies and tagged them and I found out their identity. One of them was Lord Malfoy and another was one Peter Pettigrew, Bellatrix LeStrange, and a few other names you'll find interesting. I also gathered up all their wands but when I went to match them with their owners, I came up with one extra."

"Oh? Any idea who it belonged to or who used it?"

"Well, that's the odd part. Here's the wand for you to look at. Strangest thing I've ever seen what with that skull and human bone handle that's on it. I've had it tested by our department's experts and the Magical Residue that's on it doesn't match anything from anyone in our records, and our records are from the birth registrar's office. We even called up old Mister Ollivander and not even he know's where the wand came from. I'm forwarding all the information we have on it to our Magical Interpol to see if they've got anything to match it with. Right now, it's as if that person just doesn't exist or ever did. And that's the wand that killed Lord and Lady Potter and tried to kill the Potter boy. Who ever it belongs to the Magical Signature shows the Darkest Magic I've ever seen or heard of. It's rather frightening. Oh, and before I go, we found a pile of ash on the floor in what used to be the Nursery. We don't know what it is, but that's where this unknown wand was found. Just thought you'd like to know."

"Right, Auror, I appreciate your telling me this. Make sure you list all this you've told me in your written report and file it in the usual appropriate places and departments and make sure you leave a copy of your report, in detail, on my desk. Oh, and one more thing: Keep this case open, don't ever close it without my expressed authority and if for ANY reason it's closed, you're to inform me immediately, understood?"

"Uh, yes Ma'am."

"And don't you forget this case. Keep your eyes and ears open to anything you might find, well, 'strange', no matter how long from now on you think of it."

"I will, Director. And Thank you."

Amelia sat down and began ruminating over the new details. Never had she come across such conflicting evidence. It's like the person, the killer just suddenly appeared, did the job and disappeared as to never having been there to begin with. Like they never existed.

As she was sitting there, something she remembered hearing at the scene, something that one of the Hogwarts elves said to Minerva. 'That elf said that Minerva was the greatest Headmistress up until now and what was it, oh, yea, that the young potter boy has sacrificed much to bring peace to our world. Strange. I'll talk with Minerva in the morning after she's got settled. There's just too many questions. And that elf . . ,'

Amelia got up, 'I need a butterbeer!' and she left the Ministry to go to the Leaky Cauldron. She'd thought of something stronger, but vetoed that. Knowing her luck, just as she got to feeling good, she'd be called back in. Can't have that.

Minerva got back to the castle with her elves and the Auror guard, safely, thanked them and let them all leave to return to their duties back at the Ministry. "Tippy, can you accompany me to the Hospital Wing, I want to see Poppy and have her check young mister Potter, see if he's alright."

"Yes, Headmistress. I'll go on ahead and talk with her, see that she's awake."

"Thank you, Tippy. You're a good elf."

Later, having reached the Hospital Wing, Minerva walked in and saw that Poppy was already awake and ready for her newest patient.

"Well, Minerva, Tippy here told me you needed me. What is it?" When Poppy looked at what the old Headmistress was carrying, her eyes about popped out of her head in surprise.

"What, uh, Who have you got? It's a baby! What happened, Minnie?" Poppy and Minnie carefully laid the young child down on the bed at the very end of the Wing close to her office. Little did either of the elderly Witches realize that for the rest of Harry's life, that that particular bed would be his and that every time he'd come in for medical attention, that's where he'd end up. In later years, Poppy would scratch her head when she realized that and just couldn't account of it.

"Poppy, can you check him out and see if anything is wrong with him. The only thing I've seen is that horrible old scar on his forehead."

As Poppy was waiving her wand, casting diagnostics over him, she was asking questions.

"Tonight, the Potters, James and Lily, were ambushed in their home at Godrics Hollow, the home was almost destroyed, their bodies were found, but Harry here, was still in his crib with Lily laying down, face up in front of him. When I found him, he wasn't even crying, not a tear. I picked him up and he immediately held on to me. Even Amelia Bones was there and he went to her."

Poppy looked at Harry and saw his scar. "Minnie, there's something wrong here!"

"What? What's wrong? Oh, Poppy, . . ."

"This is no ordinary scar. It's a curse scar. You said his Mum was killed tonight?"

"Yes, and James, too!"

Poppy turned to Minerva. They were very old and dear friends, having gone through Hogwarts together and were even dorm mates. Of all of Minerva's friends, it was Poppy Pomfrey who was her dearest and nearest. "Minnie, Harry here was hit by the Killing Curse! I can detect the Magical Signature of it. There's no doubt about it. I've come across it too many times when others' have been killed, but, this is the first time ANYONE has ever survived!"

"WHAT!? Poppy, that can't be, I mean it's just not possible! No one's ever . . ," Minerva was stunned speechless.

Poppy held on to Minnie, "Other than that, he's ok. All my diagnostic spells show young mister Potter to be in perfect health, other than that dreadful scar. I can clean it up, put some salve on it and a covering, but other than that, I'll just have to keep an eye on him. This is a first for me, for anyone in the Medical community. Other experiences I've had with Dark Curses, they leave a scar and don't really heal properly, but something like this, it's just unheard of."

"Can I take him back to my quarters now?"

"Yes, of course, and if you ever need any help, just ask, Minnie. You and I have been friends since our first year here. You can always depend on me."

Minerva hugged Poppy briefly and gathered Harry in her arms and went back to her quarters in the Castle with Tippy beside her.

"Headmistress, does you want Tippy and the other elves to get some of your apartment prepared for young Harry Potter? We's all are expecting him and we will all be grateful to help in any way we can."

"Well, yes, go ahead, prepare my quarters in any way you feel is needed. And see if you can get whatever baby supplies you'll need." She stopped and looked away for a moment, thinking. "Oh, Tippy, do any of you know how to change nappies?"

Later the next morning, Minerva was sitting at her office desk trying to get some paperwork done, early as it was. Harry was just now beginning to walk around, assisted by Minerva's ever ready elf, Tippy. Tippy was just a bit taller than Harry, so she didn't have much of a problem, but, give him a few more years, or months! He was beginning to go places and get his hands on anything that he could reach, so, Tippy had to watch over him constantly.

"Tippy, while you're watching over Harry, please keep in mind that he can be quite fast and do something unexpected even in a moment when your back is turned. If you need more help, ask one of the other elves."

"The other elves are most anxious to help watch over young Harry, Headmistress. We elves will always be keeping an eye out for him. He's sacrificed so much to help all of us. Many who would be gone are now alive because of him." Tippy continued to use some of her Magic to entertain Harry, keeping him occupied while Minerva was busy. Every once in a while, another elf would pop in and give Tippy something or exchange it for another toy or item, then leave. They'd always watch Harry, most fascinatingly with a smile.

"Headmistress, will you be taking Young Harry to the Great Hall this morning? I and the other elves can always help you anytime you ask." Tippy asked her Headmistress.

"I was thinking about that, and really, I don't see any problem with that, none at all. If you can, could you sit a chair next to mine that would be for Harry and fit him? Mind you, nothing elaborate. Something plain would do nicely, and keep it there. Of course, as he grows, he'll need a larger one."

"Of course, Headmistress. Tippy will look after this request immediately."

As Minerva was gathering up her soon to be son, one of the portraits hanging on the wall spoke up. "Well, Minerva. You do know that you're the very first Head of this School to have ever had a child of their own while in office?" The Portrait that was speaking was one of the very first Headmaster's of the school and had been hanging on the wall up in a very obscure corner for many centuries and rarely, if ever, spoke.

But, Minerva knew him.

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment. Harry here lost his Parents last night and I just couldn't see sending him out to strangers."

"Doesn't his parents have any siblings who could take care of him?"

Minerva started to answer but straightened up none to suddenly, her eyes focusing on 'something' that she couldn't see WITH her eyes, but remembering.

"Ahh, so, there IS some family young Potter can go to, isn't there?" the Portrait of the first Headmaster of Hogwarts said. Actually, he wasn't the 'first' Headmaster, just the 'first' that was appointed after the Founders died. No living Portrait of any of the Founders had ever been discovered, though some of the very early Portraits said there were some, but when asked where they were, they all went silent. Many a Headmaster and one Headmistress tried in vain to pry out the secret, even going so far as to use their official title and power of Head of the school, but even THAT didn't work on locating the secret of the Founders' Portraits. The Portraits were dutifully required to answer all the Headmaster's questions, but for some unknown reason, they never answered That One Question: Where were the Founders' Portraits?

Minerva, though, was different, she didn't ever ask about the Founders and didn't even show the slightest concern about them. Once, she was asked and she replied,

_'If they are to be here, then they would be, and would be easily found, not hidden away in some secret location unknown to the rest of their descendents'. _

Minerva, as astute a woman as she was, didn't know just how close she was to that particular secret. The key to it, though she didn't know then, she held in her arms.

"Well, Harry, time to go down to the Great Hall, it's breakfast and since you'll be living here with me, I do think you should get to know the rest of the students and faculty. Something tells me you're going to get to know them quite well." She held Harry in her arms, on one hip and off she went with one of the Elves always dutifully beside her.

Just before she got to the door, her fireplace roared to life. "Minerva, are you there?" It was the Minister.

"Yes, I was just about to leave for breakfast. What is it you want?"

"I just got in and read the reports that Amelia gave me. I regret what happened to the Potters during the night, but my question is where is their Son? Amelia's report stated that you've got him and wanted to adopt him. Is that true?"

"Yes, it is. As you can see, I've got him. I had Poppy look over him last night as soon as I got back here. He's in fine shape, just a small scar on his forehead from a curse. Otherwise, Minister, he's ok. I've not had any problems with him. I'm taking him downstairs to the Great Hall for breakfast. The elves are very much willing to help me take care of him."

"Ok, Minerva. If this is what you want, but remember, if he has any relatives, they do get some consideration. Remember that."

"Oh, I know, Minister. How well I know. I'll look into that matter myself and report back to you. Lily does have a sister, though, but she's a Muggle. I don't think she'd be in the best position to care for Harry. Like I said, I'll get back with you later today on that."

"Thanks, Minerva."

Minerva stayed there a bit after the connection was broken, just thinking. She'd heard something from Lily, once about the time she and James were married. She'd attended the wedding and her sister was there. Being Muggles, they stuck out like a broken wand in a duel. Something was 'off' with her sister. It was as if Lily's sister didn't want to be at her own sister's wedding! Families were supposed to be together.

Breakfast, unlike the other meals, was a quiet time. Everyone was just sitting there, eating and trying to wake up, though there were many who were talking, it was just mostly quiet.

That is, until the Headmistress opened the Great Doors to the Hall and walked in right down the middle carrying Harry, a fifteen month old boy. What little talking and chattering quickly subsided with every eye on her.

At the Head Table, all the rest of the Faculty were already there and eating, when Minerva placed Harry in his high chair next to her's, but, she didn't sit down. She stood up and standing up she surveyed the entire Great Hall looking at everyone, silently.

No one spoke a word.

She placed her right hand on Harry's head and shoulders, rubbing his unruly hair and caressing his shoulders gently. She placed a bit of bread and a small container of Juice in front of him and he began to eat.

No one said a word.

Minerva just stood there, the saddest expression on her face, tears rolling down her cheeks, she was sniffling, but she didn't even use her tissue.

"Students, Faculty, I have an announcement to make." Minerva just stood there, again looking at the students, especially the House of Slytherin, and the Faculty.

"Last night, Lord and Lady Potter were killed in their home. Many Death Eaters were killed, the house mostly destroyed, yet there was one survivor, their Son, whom you see here, now, sitting beside me. I, along with Madam Bones and her Auror's and all the Elves of Hogwarts were there, but it was too late. James and Lily Potter lost their lives during the night but, they successfully defended their son from death. The only injury that young Harry James Potter sustained was a killing curse, leaving a curse scar on his forehead. I've talked with both the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Minister concerning me adopting Harry and until the paperwork is finalized, Harry will be living with me and will be under my direct Protection. He has no other relatives in our World and is the last of the Line of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. It will be and is, forever more, my responsibility as Harry's Mum, to care for him, teach him in our ways and to prepare him to be the eventual Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. They who befriend him NOW, will be remembered. As Muggles sometimes fondly say, 'He who rocks the cradle, Rules the World'."

At what the Headmistress stated, there arose a buzzing of talking all around the Great Hall. No longer were the students sleepy; every eye was open, both students and the rest of the faculty who didn't know what'd happen during the night.

After breakfast Minerva completed her rounds of her responsibilities and left Filius in charge till she returned. When asked where she was going, she didn't say, but she took young Harry with her, though there were those who'd gladly care for him.

"Tippy, I'd like for you to go with me. I'll tell you later, no questions yet. I have to find out some information and have some of my questions answered before it's too late." With that, Minerva, along with her small charge and one brave elf left for parts unknown, all three of them under extreme disillusionment spells of multiple layers.

It was middle of the morning on a normal work day in Surrey in a small bedroom community called 'Little Winning'. There appeared to no one was a very elderly woman and what looked like a small child or a very short but old and gnarled old man (Tippy in disguise). All three of the, including Harry whom Minerva was carrying, were still under multiple Disillusionment Spells. She walked to Privet Drive, #4 and carefully walked in the front door, using the Alohormora Spell to unlock the door. Inside, Minerva just watched while the overly large man went through his usual morning routine and left, leaving the Woman alone.

It was then that Minerva cancelled the spell, making herself visible. One Petunia Dursley took one look and tried to scream, but didn't, or couldn't.

"Petunia, no harm will come to you. I just want to talk with you, alone, without your husband, Vernon around. My Name is Minerva McGonagall and I'm the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary."

"I know you! You taught at that freak school that Lily went to. What do you want! The last time I went there was at my sister's Wedding and, well, how'd you expect me to feel around all those freakesh abominations? None of you are right. I don't have a thing for you or that you'd want. Just, just leave me alone! Go away and never come back! You HEAR!?"

Petunia was out of breath from her tirade and screaming her words. Spittle came flying out of her horse like mouth. Anger was very prevalent around her; Minerva could feel it.

"I've come on two matters of business that concerns you."

"I have no business with the likes of YOU!"

"I'm afraid you do, you just don't know it. Please, sit down with me, and lets talk, quietly. No harm will come to you." Minerva walked to Petunia's kitchen table and sat down, readjusting her 'charge' whom she held in her arms.

"Why are you bringing me a baby in my house? I've already got one son and he's at the nursery. I can't help you."

"I'm not asking for your help." Minerva sat Harry on her lap and positioned him so he could look at his Mothers' Sister, his Aunt Petunia.

"Petunia, I want you to look at this little Boy."

"Why should I?"

"Look at his face, look at his eyes. Do you see anything here you recognize?"

Petunia looked for a few seconds at the small boy, started to say something rather harsh, but the more she looked, a glimmer of recognition appeared on her face.  
"That, he, he looks like James, my sister's husband. And his eyes! He's got my sister's eyes!" Petunia looked at Harry, and started to say something, but didn't. Instead, she looked back at Minerva, with a crest fallen look on her face. "I'm not gonna like what you're gonna tell me. I have a very bad feeling."

Minerva nodded her head in agreement.

"Last night, not quite nine hours ago, your sister, Lily and her husband, James, were ambushed in their homes and killed. Their home was almost totally destroyed, but the only survivor is their only child, their son, Harry James Potter. He's the last of the Potter Line and your only Nephew."

Petunia just sat there, and stared at Harry, she had a terrible feeling about what this elderly witch wanted of her, but she could only shake her head negatively. "Minerva, I just can't, I can't take him in. He's just like that freak of a sister of mine. Vernon, when he comes home tonight from work and finds one of your freaks in his home, he'd toss both me and the child out on the streets, both bag and baggage. I have nowhere to go, Minerva. Nowhere!"

"Petunia, my telling you of your sister's death is the first matter of business I have with you. The second, well, I know you won't take your Nephew in and even if you did, his life would be a living Hell here!" Minerva's voice carried steel in it and her eyes were flashing. "Family's should stick together, they should support one another, be there for one another, and love one another absolutely no matter what they're like! And, Petunia, for you to be Lily's Sister, you're so much different from her, it's like comparing the day to the night, and YOU, Petunia, are the Night! You have no love in your heart for your dead sister nor for her orphan son. What I'm asking of you is your permission for me to take Harry in my home and let me raise him and love him. I'm asking you to give up all family responsibilities you may have with him and allow me to adopt him as MY SON!"

Petunia was shocked at what she was asked. She had the terrible preminition that she'd have to take him in and raise him along with her own son and that, well, THAT she just couldn't do!

"Yes, You can have him. I don't want anything to do with him. I give up all my legal rights to him and give him to you. Just don't bring him back here. I've had enough of your world and your kind. Where are the papers? Where do I sign?"

Minerva got up, readjusting Harry on her hip with her left arm. "You don't have to sign anything. Your word is all I need. I'll give a copy of this meeting, of my memory to the Ministry in my World and they'll review it. This is the way it's done since you're a Muggle."

"I can't help being what I am!"

"True, but, you can help your attitude you have chosen! Your attitude you have towards those who can preform Magic is of your own choosing. I don't know why you were born without Magic, but you certainly can choose your attitude towards those who are with Magic! This attitude of yours is why you won't get the Joy and Love of raising your own Sister's son, her only child, for him she and her husband gave their LIVES protecting! No wonder so many of our kind don't like you!" Minerva turned to leave the house of Lily's only sister, but, halted at the door. "Petunia, I'll not be returning, not now, not ever. You want to be rid of me, you have your wish. Just be careful what you wish for, for you will get it!"

Petunia got up and shouted out one word, "Wait! . . ," Then watched as The Greatest Headmistress of Hogwarts clearly, silently disapparated from her home, with her sister's son, whom she so readily gave up, with out a second thought nor care. _"wait, I do love my sister, it's, it's just that I too, wanted to be magical!" _Petunia Evans Dursley just stood there, thinking that she'd just lost her only, her last chance, even though she'd spoken her last words after she'd seen this strange woman disappear.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

**The Ministry and the Paperwork**

The next morning, an Owl flew in to Minerva's office, dropped a scroll of Parchment and left.

It contained the Ministry Seal in Blood Red Sealing Wax. Picking up the scroll, Minerva was thinking,'Hmm, one of the few things we in the Magical World use that came from the Muggle World is this Sealing Wax. Even a few of them still seem to use it and no matter how hard we try, the Muggles still have the best formula for it. I sometimes wonder how many of us realize this?' Unrolling the Scroll, she read:

_Dame Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, _

_The application that has been forwarded to us by the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, one Madam Amelia Bones has been received, and approval is being reviewed but we need to meet with you to determine the answers to a few last minute questions. I look forward to hearing from you, either by Owl or in person. _

Minerva finished reading the letter a second time, then picked up a quill, dipping it to a small glass ink pot and began writing a reply to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, one Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody. He'd been in the Auror ranks for many generations and could be trusted, but he was slated for retirement soon.

_"__Dear Alastor: I'll be available tomorrow to answer all your questions concerning my desire to raise young Harry Potter. I can assure you that he'll be taken good care of and his Estate will be held for him till he comes of age. None of it will be touched by me nor anyone else and will be invested by Gringott's at the highest and safest earnings rate for him. I'll be entirely able to care for all his material needs from my own earnings. His Seat on the Wizengamot will be held for him till he comes of age to take it. I'll make sure that he learns all about his family's history while he's in my care. He will be loved and treated with the utmost respect and civility. I will consider him MY SON in every respect. I wil swear to all of these promises on my Magic, my Life. So. Mote. It. BE!"_

Minerva read over her response one more time and sealed it with the red sealing wax and impressioning it with her own Seal from her Headmistress' Ring and again with her own House of McGonagall Ring and sent it off by Owl.

She turned around from the window and looked around her office. Memories came flooding into her mind. She'd been a student here since she was eleven years of age. She'd been a prodigy in Transfiguration and stayed and took a Mastery in that subject as well as in Charms, then continued staying as a Professor in Transfiguration under her predecessor. Old Headmaster Dippet was a kindly man and had given her the chance of a lifetime and she'd made good on it. Looking up at all the portraits of previous Heads of this school, she was only the Second Witch to have ever been in the schools' Thousand Year History. As such, she had reputation that spanned the World. Every Head of every Magical School knew her, either by reputation or personally. Her knowledge in her field eclipsed that of anyone else since the Great Merlin himself.

But, lately, since taking in young mister Potter, she'd had, for a lack of better words, 'memories' coming to her. Memories of a former life, memories that were crystal clear. Some of which were delightful and others which were horrible, bordering on the nightmarish. But, throughout all of them the one constant, the one ABSOLUTE constant was a small skinny boy, sporting the most unruly black hair and the Greenest Eyes she'd ever seen! In her last and latest memory, she'd seen this boy performing Magical dueling, combat and wielding such a massive amount of Magical Power that she'd not thought possible. Sitting down at her desk, she thought, 'If what I've seen in my newest memories were true, then his Hammerstein Magical Index must be off the Scale!'

Minerva went over to her private quarters and looked in where young Harry was sleeping. Upon seeing her young charge, her soon to be Son sleeping, she gasped in amazement. There, hovering above his small crib were small toys hovering, moving around along with sparkles of multicolored lights, a virtual child's playground of things that a child would love to play with! Sitting down on her knees at his side, Minerva looked at him and reached over and held his small hand which Harry, either conscientiously or unconscientiously, his fingers curled around one of her fingers and just held onto her. Minerva could feel the Magical Power coursing through him and into her. It was a warm loving feeling containing images, sounds, feelings that were impressed upon her very being. She could see faces, crystal clear as if she were looking at them in person, face to face. In his memories that she was feeling or that they were being shared with her, she could 'know' what young Harry's relationship was with each of these people she saw. Some were loving, other's were of friendship, and a few were enemy's who were out to hurt him. One of these, the last, was of such a horrible appearance and manifestation she could barely hold on to young Harry's hand, but, he was gripping her's tightly. The one feeling that Minerva felt that wasn't there, was a lack of fear. Harry didn't fear these nightmarish thoughts, images, but instead, stood up to them. She could see him as an adult, wielding his wand and battling his enemy's using such vast amount's of Magical Power that it virtually drained the school's Loadstones completely. He was glowing, radiating a light from his very being he was almost blurred by the glare.

As this adult Harry subdued his enemy that he was 'currently' battling, he did something that surprised her: He turned to face her! He was of the archtypical 'Hero' in his appearance and bearing and demeanor. The Wind blowing through his black hair, his Emerald Green eyes shining brilliantly. He looked directly at her, how, she thought, she didn't know, but, he was surely looking at her! "Thank you, Mum, for taking me in. Thank you, for loving me and teaching me all that I know and helping me to be all that I am. I will love you forever." Minerva was shocked speechless at this revelation that came upon her so suddenly, so unexpectedly. Tears came to her eyes and without her even realizing it, she replied to him: "You're welcome, my Son. I've always loved you since you were first born, since I first laid eyes on your parents. I'll always be here for you. Thank you, Harry, for letting me be your Mum, for you being my Son!" The Harry in the Vision smiled at her and he nodded his head in approval and he saluted his wand at her in the old way that Muggle Fencing Duelists's typically do, that shows honor and respect.

Minerva looked down upon her young son, her soon to be young son and thought to herself: 'Harry, already, you're a Magnificent Man! I'll just have to love you and raise you right. You'll always know Love here while in my care. THAT – I promise you!'

Minerva got up and laid down in her bed, right next to the small crib. She'd kept an eye on young Harry all day, letting Professor Flitwick take over for the day. Evening had set in, tomorrow was a work day. All was well.

After Minerva had long since gone to sleep, a Lady looked down upon them both. She was in the form of a woman, dressed in a long flowing gown. She herself was of the characteristic of a ghost but much more. She could even be of a corporeal state, if she so choose. She was of a young appearance, very beautiful. She looked at young Harry and smiled. "Thank you, Sir Potter, for all you've given of yourself. You've protected me, my home and all the precious lives here. I, we, all owe you so much, more than what you've been given. When you cross the Veil, your reward will be Great, beyond Imagining. Thank you, my Greatest Heir."

The Lady Hogwarts kept watch over them for the entire night, not letting them know of her presence – yet.

The next day, Minerva flooed over to the Ministry to see her long time friend, and former student, one Alastor Moody. As gruff as his outward appearance was, Minerva knew, first hand, that inside, he was very giving of himself, very charitable. He protected the Magical World from the scum that fed off of the weak and those who didn't look out for themselves. It was said that most of those who called Azkaban 'home', were put there by Mad Eye himself. None of the dark wizards wanted any sort of confrontation with him. When in a fight with those whom he knew to be 'dirty', he fought dirty – and usually won. That was the sort of Wizard Minerva went to see.

Alastor was at his desk, tending to his paperwork when Minerva walked in. "Hello, Minnie, how've you been? I see you got my Owl. I appreciate your reply. Come, sit down and let us get this over with. The Head of the DMLE, Amelia, is out on business. I'll be giving her a full report here as well as filing the papers to make it all nice and legal. So, lets get started."

Nodding her head at her former student, she began.

"Minnie, you're the head of the most prestigious Magical School in the World. Why would you want to take up most of your time caring for an orphan?"

"Alastor, he needs a home, he needs a Mother who really wants to love him. I don't need to tell you that I've known his parents and three generations of Potters prior to them. They needn't have been killed. You know that better than I."

"Maybe so, Minnie, but I just want to know that Young Potter will be taken care of. You do realize, don't you, that the Estate that his Parents left behind is one of the Greatest bastions of Wealth in our World? There's many of us in the Ministry wondering what'll happen to it. We don't want to see someone take advantage of it and leave Harry Knutless when he comes of age."

Minerva bristled at the implication. She stood up straight as if she were shot out of a canon. Bending over his desk and looking directly in his one good eye she leveled at him, "You look here, Alastor Moody, I've known you since you were in nappies, in fact, I've even helped your Mum change them and you yourself have known me to be absolutely honest and forthright in all my dealings. The very thought of you even THINKING that I'd want to adopt that baby just to get my hands on his wealth turns my stomach! Furthermore, if you want to stay in my good graces, you'd better be thinking that young Harry Potter's welfare and best interests are paramount in my mind. In fact, I'd suggest that the Ministry get a disinterested third party to look after his Estate and send him monthly statements and be willing to answer any and all questions he may have when he's grown enough to ask them! I'd strongly suggest Gringott's be the one to administer his Estate. I don't need, nor want any of his gold! Not now, Not Ever! Do you understand me, Alastor?" Minerva gathered up her robes and took young Harry in her arms and walked out of his office with the papers all signed and documented, in her hands. As of now, Minerva was the legal Mother of one former orphan – Harry James Potter.

Alastor just sat there in his office after that old bird took her young charge in her arms and swept out. Shaking his head in disbelief at just how protective she was over the child, was the idea of 'prodding' her so that he could see her true feelings toward young Harry. He wanted her true feelings, not some answer that was forced out of her through some potion or oath, either of which could be gotten around, which he well knew from personal experience. 'Well, Minnie, you've passed my test, spectacularly. Now, I'll just have to inform the Ministry and the Wizengamot.' He stopped and added to himself: ' And, Amelia. She'll find this meeting very interesting.'

Shaking his head, gathering up his papers, he hobbled out of the office and down the hall. Time to file some paperwork. 'Now, the dragon shite will really hit the fan,' he thought as he hobbled in to the clerk's office.

"EDGECOMB! Where in blazes are you? I've got important papers to file with the Wizengamot! How many times have I told you, . . . ," He never got to finish that statement when she walked in, carrying a Muggle book.

"Yea, yea, yea, Mad Eye, I've heard you say that a million times, 'Constant Vigilance!' You keep saying that a Death Eater can walk in here and I'd never know it. What's so important this time?"

Here are the Potter Papers. I've granted Minerva her request to adopt the Potter boy." He looked at that book she was carrying. "What are you reading? Some trashy Muggle book? Again?! You're just as bad as Arthur Weasley."

Just then, in walked a tall figure, with long flowing white hair and a silver snake headed cane.

"Did I hear correctly, Alastor? The Potter boy as been adopted? Already? You work fast, my friend. And you didn't even give some of us Pure-Blooded Families a chance to be considered. It seems that some of us would be more, shall we say, 'appropriate' in caring for a pure-Blooded blooded child rather than some twisted old hag like THAT who runs that approbate school up there on the mountain!"

"Speaking of Death Eaters, look who walked in!" Mad Eye said, and not too quietly, yet. "You're supposed to be dead, Lucius, I saw your dead body at the Potters' just last night. Might I ask you 'Why?'"

Lucius looked at him, narrowing his eyes. "I'd hold my tongue if I were you, you Wizarding Freak! One day, you're going to be in a position where you'll have to defend those words!"

Alastor walked up to the much younger man, and still holding on to his staff. "Yea, and just who is it I'm supposed to be afraid of? Just who do you think is powerful enough to, as the muggles say, 'punch my ticket'? YOU? You've not got the Magical Power to take me on Lucius. Drop a few more points on the hammerstein Index and you'd be a very, powerful Squib!" Alastor looked Lucius directly in his face, not moving, not even his pulse was racing.

Lucius just looked at his older adversary, and backed down. He knew the old Wizard was right, but didn't, couldn't, take the chance. Instead, he just sneared and backing away, turned and left, but not before saying, "Best you check the body for polyjuice. It HAS been known to have been used. Pity, though, your Auror's can't tell the difference between the living and the dead. Even you can't do THAT! Apparently. But, as you can see, I'm very alive." Lucius then left.

"Better watch out for him, I've noticed that he's been around here at the oddest times, sniffing around for Merlin Knows What! I'd bet my last good Eye that he's a Marked Death Eater, Marked by Voldemort himself, and Willingly, too! The day I prove THAT, . . ,! I can't wait." The Witch, Edgecomb, just looked at the two that butted heads and she shuddered. She KNEW that Alastor was right. And THAT was what scared her. She trusted Alastor more than any other Wizard, in fact, just as much as she trusted Minerva.

"Alastor, have you thought of asking Minerva out? You know, for a date? You and her would get along very well."

Alastor, stopped and looked at her as if she'd said something you shouldn't have said in mixed company.

"She and I - in the same room? Are you kidding? Both of us want top and neither will give. We're too much alike! There'd be fireworks akin to Dragon fire! It just wouldn't work."

Edgecomb tossed him her favorite trashy Muggle Romance novel, "Here, take this, maybe it'll give you a few good ideas! You need a good strong witch in your life, and Minerva needs a good strong wizard in hers." She laughed.

Alastor grapped the book and held on to it. "Harump! I'll think about it, especially when I'm on the throne!" He looked back at her, again and tried to smile, but with all the cuts to his face, his 'smile' looked like a learing grin that should a child see him, would have scared them witless.

With that, he peg-legged out and walked down the hall. All you could hear was a footstep followed by a peg-legged 'thump' followed immediately by his staff thudding on the floor. It was a very ominous sound that to a child, sent shivers down their spine.

Going down the hall, Alastor thought about Minnie. They both were cut from the same bolt of cloth. Both had been through so many battles, fights and threats, that it'd didn't faze them anymore. They both stood up and faced their adversaries with absolutely no fear in their hearts. If either of them needed ANYone to 'take their back' in a fight to the death, both of them would choose the other. No questions asked. They'd both give their lives to protect the other, this, out of respect for the other. 'And here she is, at her age, taking on the responsibility of raising a young child. She has more balls than I do!" He continued walking down the hall, step-thump, step-thump, when he stopped again and thought. "You know, she just might need someone to help her, once in a while, in raising the Potter kid. It wouldn't hurt to let her know that she could ask me for help, once in a while." And with that thought, he continued back to his office.

Later that evening, Minerva was putting Harry back to bed, and was being observed by one of the Paintings, Armando Dippet, to be exact. After he was asleep, Minerva went back to her office, just off of her personal quarters, when Dippet, the former Headmaster prior to Minerva, spoke to her.

"Minerva, you've got quite a prodigy there, in young Potter."

She turned to look at the painting, "Yes, I have. He's got quite a history, probably more than you'd realize."

Dippet smiled and nodded his head, saying nothing.

Minerva looked at him, noticing that he'd not said anything, and decided to try an old and tried maneuver. "Armando, how'd you like a butterbeer?"

He looked at her with surprise all over his face, which lit up with a smile, but then faded. "Minerva, you know as well as I do that That's not possible here, for me."

"Oh? You mean it's just not been done – yet."

Dippet's portrait looked at her with surprise on his face. "Minerva, ever since you were my student, from your first year, you were the best. If anyone could do what you've just implied, it'd be you. Being up here, a memory that I am, a good bottle of Butterbeer would be well received."

Minerva smiled, pulled out her wand and produced a case of Ogden's Best Firewiskey and many shot glasses, plus another case of ice cold Butterbeer. Then, thinking again, she gave him a stack of Ogden's, just in case, and Iced them all over, just for good measure." Putting her wand away, looking up at her former Headmaster, she smiled a bit. "How's that, Armando? Now, can we talk?"

He smiled and opened a bottle and took his first taste of Ogdens's that he'd not had in a very long time. The other Portraits looked at him and he invited them all over, which they heartily agreed to. Soon, his Portrait was filled with former Headmaster's and the one Headmistress, all drinking and talking and having a good time. They all toasted her and told her they hoped she'd not forget to refill the cases, which she agreed to take care of. "well, here's to a room full of drunken portraits! I wonder if this will make it in 'Hogwarts – A History'?"

"Armando, what can you tell me about my son, Harry? You seem to know something I don't." Minerva asked him, coyly, since he was almost three sheets to the wind already and as 'drunk as an English Lord'. This was the reason she gave the liquor to him. Minerva didn't get to where she was without learning a few tricks of her own.

After a few hickups, and more swallows, he did answer her question. Sort of.

"Have you talked to the Lady Hogwarts lately?"

"Huh?"

"The Lady of the Castle. She holds all the power that protects the Castle. She's modeled after the Four Founders and in fact, she looks just like Rowena Ravenclaw herself. She's very soft on your son, you know."

"I'll give her a try. How do I find her?"

"Just like you call for a House Elf, call for her."

"But, what do YOU know? About Harry?"

"Minerva, Harry there, your son laying in his crib, as young as he is, has the greatest Measure on the Hammerstein Magical Index since the Great Merlin himself! And, he's not yet reached his age of Majority! All these so called 'Dark Wizards', like Voldemort or that Grindelwall fellow, neither of them could hold a candle to young Harry here."

Minerva just looked at her former Headmaster, not knowing what to say. "What?"

"You must be joking. Harry's only fifteen months old."

"Doesn't matter, Minerva. He's got the Power. You know that better than any of us! You've seen him use it, You've seen him defend us all, this Castle, it's students, all of us. He took on the entire compliment of Magical Power that this place could produce, wards and all. At his command, he even had the Lady Hogwarts give him every erg of Magical Power that this place could produce and then some. He defeated two of the worst Dark Wizards, one after the other, and one of them was a Demon! Minerva, we here, all of us Portraits SAW him. We felt the Magic being transferred to him. Minerva, there's no test of Magical Power yet developed that can truly measure what he can handle! The Lady Hogwarts can show you the memory. Just ask her."

Minerva just stood there, shocked beyond words. She sat down at her desk, looking around at the rest of the Portraits, who were all nodding assent in agreeing with what Armondo Dippet said. She knew, then, that she'd heard the truth.

"Is my taking Harry as my son, is what I did, right?"

"Yes, Minerva, it is. What Harry needs, so desperately, is to be loved. He needs a family, a Mother who'll love him unconditionally, without reserve. You give him that, truly, from your heart, and he'll remain stable and love you forever."

"But, I do love him. I loved him even before I knew all this about him. I just don't know why I did and now do. He just grows on me, I guess."

A soft voice then spoke to Minerva, a woman's voice. Minerva looked up and saw a very young woman, age indeterminate, dressed in long flowing gown, or was it robes? "Minerva, I am she whom the former Headmaster spoke of, I am the Lady Hogwarts. Everything that was spoken of, concerning my Heir, Harry, was true."

"Why is it I don't know about this?"

"That's because all that happened took place in an alternate time. Harry carried on the entire Load of Magical Power himself. He needed every bit of it to conquer two of the Darkest Magical Beings that we've ever been faced with. Not only that, but he called on me to give him all the Magical Power I could draw upon, Magical Power that was unprecedented in it's use by my Founders. What Harry did was not planned, in fact, it was not even anticipated. He should not have been able to do it, but, he did."

She stopped talking and looked at Minerva for a few moments and continued, "I'm still trying to figure out two things about him. First, is the question of 'how' he handled that much Magical Power, and second, is the question of 'why' is it him? Why not someone else who's much more prepared?"

"Have you found any kind of answers, even a partial answer?"

She was quiet, and shook her head in the negative.

Minerva just looked around, got up and walked over to where he was sleeping, and just caressed him, lovingly. She looked at the Lady Hogwarts and without asking a question, was given an answer.

"Minerva, Harry was dying. His wives and his three Vassals, asked me to save him, one, a Strong Muggle born Witch and another, a Pure-Blood, demanded that I save him that it was within my power to do so. Not only had I'd promised that I would take care of him but he also gave me my Free Agency, totally and completely, without reservation, and this same Pure-Blood Witch called me out on that oath. The only way was for me to change the past, and I did. I brought him back to the moment of his parents' death, plus, I made a few more changes, one of which was to erase the memories of what he'd done, including yours, but, not the Portraits' Memories. There had to be some memory of the heroic deed he'd accomplished. Harry was not one to look for people seeing him as some kind of hero. He just wanted to be normal, or as Harry said, 'I just want to be Harry, just Harry'."

The Lady Hogwarts went over to Minerva, placing a hand on her shoulder, and tried to comfort her. I had to erase some memories, to make it easier for Harry to live a peaceful life, but I can see now that he's destined for otherwise. Your Son, Minerva, will never be just an ordinary boy, nor just an ordinary Man, when he reaches his Age of Majority. He now holds a great abundance of Magical Power from his holding on to, and using, the entire load of Magic that this place, my home, both produces and controls. Please, Minerva, just love him. If you do that, he will be alright."

"What do you mean that my son will never be 'ordinary'? He's just a little boy who's gone through the trauma of loosing his natural parents. That's very ordinary."

"Minerva, Harry, Your Son, is destined for Greatness in our World beyond anything that we've ever seen. Inside him, lies a desire to fight the Darkness that threatens to envelop us and devour us." Here, the Grand Lady of Hogwarts' facial appearance soften, her eyes became misty, teary eyed, which was not lost upon Minerva. It was THEN, that she suspected something having happened with the Grand Lady of Hogwarts. It was a relationship that only one woman – looking at another – could pinpoint. And Minerva was right in her decision about just exactly what it was!

The Grand Lady of Hogwarts walked over to where the young Harry was sleeping the 'sleep of the Just'. She reached out and caressed his tiny forehead, brushing back the dark black locks of his wavy, unruly hair. She gently reached over and touched The Scar – the scar that so defined him, that was the symbol of just what he'd endured so early in his very young life and showed the entire world just Who He Is, and in his later life, of what he'll become.

She looked up at Minerva, coming out of her thoughts and musings and told Minerva, the Greatest Headmistress that Hogwarts has had, "Minerva, your Son is the Defender of our World, and like me, he will always be with us." and here she looked directly into Minerva's eyes and finished her statement, "He will NEVER leave us. NEVER!"

Minerva nodded her head in understanding with tears running down her face. She'd been given her complete memories, totally restored. She was shocked by what'd happened. The way she'd been used by the then previous headmaster, what he'd done, how Harry had suffered, it was all too much for her, but, for Harry's sake, she hung on to her only son. Now, they both will have a life with joy and happiness plus whatever it'd bring to them both.

"Thank you, Lady Hogwarts, thank you for bringing us both together and thank you for our lives."

"It is I who should be thanking you both. Just take care of one another, and love each other. I'll always be here for you, just call me anytime, even just to speak with me. Oh, and before I go, I have two other Heirs who'll be coming into Harry's life in the future. They'll be his wives."

Minerva looked shocked. "Wives?"

"Yes, he still has them, and three Vassals as well. They're being prepared for him with the knowledge of past events. You've already met one. We'll talk about them later, when the time approaches."

"Yes, of course. And, again, thank you."

The Lady Hogwarts nodded her head and left, still watching over them as she always has.

**Author's note: For a while, I'll be writing chapter's that are from where Harry first appeared in the King's Cross Station at eleven years of age and switch to when he was sent back in time to the night his parents died. This is to give a story, some background of what it is like for him. Once in a while, I may make some mistakes, that's inevitable. I've always wondered what Harry's life would have been like if old Meddlesome Dumbledork didn't interfere with Harry's life and some other family took him in in the Magical World. Next chapter will be 'Back to the Future', where Harry is again at King's Cross Station for his first year. I'm writing this mainly for my own entertainment. Enjoy yourself. I'm thinking of bringing Draco back, but, I'm not sure. Writer's CAN resurrect people! Please laugh. **


	3. Chapter 3 King's Cross - The Train Ride

**Chapter 3 **

**King's Cross Station: Boarding the Hogwart's Express**

**Author's Note: One of the 'Reviewers', who posted a review Anonymously, mentioned why can't the bad guys die? Well, I got to thinking about that statement and using my 'Executive Privilege', I'm bringing back good old Draco! Seems I do need a 'whipping boy', someone who is envious of Harry and will give him some opposition. I know I stated previously that Lord Lucius Malfoy didn't have any offspring, but for the sake of argument, please ignore that statement, for now. I'm doing it this way just because I don't want to go back and rewrite that scene. So, if we didn't have the 'bad', then how will we know what's 'good'? Anyway, please don't go overboard just because I'm 'bringing him back'. This is just a writers' tool I'm using to show how good our home grown hero is when he has to face stiff opposition. Don't worry, Harry wears the 'white hat', he's the 'good guy' and he does get the pretty girl (s) in the end. Or, does he? **

It was the First of September, 1991 and Harry James Potter had just boarded the Train to take him and the other students to Hogwarts. His Mum, like so many others before her, stood on the platform, watching the train pull out of the Station. There she stood, like all the other Mums with her, and before her, waving to their children, some for the first time, others' for the last time. It was a very mixed group, emotion wise, but still, they all understood each other.

One mother, a red head looked at Minerva, struck up a conversation. "This is your first time seeing your son off?" It was the Weasley Matriarch, Molly. She'd had much experience in seeing off five of her other children over a very long period of time. She understood the feelings.

"Yes, I'm seeing my son, Harry, off for his first train ride. Even though we live at the Castle, it still hurts to see him off like this. I know I shouldn't be so teary eyed, but I just can't help it."

"Don't worry, Minerva. It just goes to prove that you're a normal Mum like we all are."

Minerva looked at Molly, and smiled. "Thank you, Molly. That was very sweet of you. I adopted Harry after his parents died. He's just grown on me since then. If I were to be more truthful, I've loved him even when he was born. I remember, vividly, when Lily and James told me they were expecting. They would have been exemplary parents had they'd've lived." Minerva blew her nose, and continued. "I've tried my best to fill in for him. I've been completely honest with him about his family and answered all his questions honestly. All I've ever wanted to do was to love him like the Mum I've always wanted to be."

Molly patted her shoulder, "You've been a great Mum, Minerva. We've all seen you with him. All my boys have told me about how he's grown up at Hogwarts and been in all the classes. He will do very well in school, what with all the tutoring he's been given."

Minerva looked at Molly, "Yes, he'll do very well, he's a very powerful Wizard, and he has a lot resting on his shoulders."

"I'm sure of that, Minerva. Well, I've got to be going. I've got one daughter at home now. She'll be attending next year. Take care of yourself."

"I will, see you later, Molly."

With that said, Minerva was the only one left on the Platform. All the other Parents and family members were gone. She looked around, thinking, 'For all the years I've been at Hogwarts, both as a student and as a teacher, this is the first time, I've broke down and cried at this station.' She looked into the distance where the train had pulled off into. 'I'll miss you, my dear son, even though I'll see you at school, at home. I guess this is just one of those 'milestones' in your life.'

Minerva gathered her robes around her and started to disapparate, back to school. She had some work left to do before she could welcome back the students.

She stopped suddenly, a thought had just crossed her mind, something she'd not really thought about, fully, till now. 'The Sorting! What House would Harry be going into?' She shook her head in wonderment. "I'm sure he'll be just fine." She smiled and disapparated away, leaving the Platform vacant except for all the memories of students from generations past still flooding the place. It'll never be truly 'empty' of students.

Harry had just boarded the Train and looked for a vacant compartment. He found one, towards the back of the last car and found that it faced the platform. He looked out the window and saw his Mum looking for him. He waved at her and saw that she was waiving back, blowing him kisses as all Mums were usually doing. "Go on and get settled, Son. I'll see you tonight." Minerva shouted ot above the noise and din of others' speaking, yelling and shouting. Harry nodded his head, understanding what his Mum was saying.

Unbeknownst to either Harry or his Mum, there were other families there who'd seen his Patronus'. One was a Muggle Born witch just starting her first year. She had brown hair, very curly, some would even use the term 'bushy'. She was very intelligent and quick to pick up on what she was being taught. The one thing, though, was that when she saw those Patronus', she saw 'herself' or, an older version of herself! Since her parents were Muggles, they could not come through the Barrier that was set strictly for Magical people. Young Hermione Jane Granger, a prospective, just starting her first year, Muggle Born student looked on in total surprise at what she was seeing: Patronus'. She'd read through completely, the book, 'Hogwarts – A History' and had read what brief few sentences it told about them. Naturally, she had questions, she always did. Looking at the slender, youthful black haired young man who sported the Greenest Eyes she'd ever seen, she put him on her 'to speak to' list. She started to go up to him and speak to him, but she saw that he was standing next to a rather tall and severe looking older witch, whom he referred to as 'Mum'. Then, something happened, unexpectedly. The wind blew and tossed his hair and when it did, she saw his face, or more specificly, his forehead, where his scar was. It was rather large and very prominent. She wanted to ask a question, in fact, many questions, but felt that this was not the time nor place to do so. It was then that she knew there was a lot about her new world that she needed to learn about. Quickly, she gathered up her trunk and her kneazle, which to her, looked like an ordinary house cat, rather ugly but still the cat was rather intelligent and nice to her.

On the Platform, just as Harry was performing his Patronus, another family was there, as were many other families. This family, though, was a pure blood magical family by the name of 'Greengrass'. He was the Head of his family, and a Lord. His wife was also Pure Blood and had stunningly good looks and a bearing and dress that bespoke of manners, culture, charm and kindness. Beside them were standing two young ladies, sisters judging from their appearance, because they looked just like their Mother.

"Mum! Look! That Patronus looks just like me!" It was Daphne, the oldest of the Greengrass sisters who first spoke.

The elder of the Family placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder and looked at what his daughter had pointed out. There, in front of everyone was a small, slender young boy dressed in the finest Wizarding Robes and beside him was an older, severe looking Witch whom everyone knew on sight! It was the Headmistress of Hogwarts – one Minerva McGonagall, born of a very long line of Scottish Magicals, whose line went back to before the time of William Wallace and some have said long before even him, back to the Druids themselves! Then, it dawned on him. He turned to his wife, "Isn't that older witch, Minerva?"

"Yes, it is, Dear." She turned to her husband, with a question on her face.

"And, that young boy beside her, isn't he the one whom she adopted some years ago? I distinctly remember, oh, yes, I recall now. The Potters were ambushed in their home on Halloween nigh, of '81 and their son was the only survivor. HE's the one she adopted right off, in fact, within a couple of days. I've heard about him. I was in the Wizengamot meeting once about that time when one of the members of the Ministry mentioned that a young wizard was tested, that his score on the Hammerstein Magical Index went off the scale, completely. He mentioned that his score was greater than even the Great Merlin himself!"

His wife looked at him, "Are you sure? That's incredible to believe, dear."

He was still looking at the young boy still producing his Patronus'. "Just look at what he's doing. I can't do that. Anyone who can do what he's doing now, is someone to keep an eye on." He looked down at his daughter, Daphne, who was still looking at the Patronus'. "Dad, why does one of his Patronus' look like me? I've never met him, I think." She forced herself to remember her past, but couldn't come up with any memory of seeing him.

Then, it dawned on her – her dreams! Lately, she'd been having dreams of another 'life', of being married to a fine young man with tossled black hair who'd been fighting for his life. Once, she'd 'seen' him in her dreams of him on the grounds of Hogwarts, battling in a duel for his life with two of the most fearsome and Darkest Wizards she'd ever seen! One even resembled a Muggle inspired looking Demon! And the Magical Power he'd Wielded! To her, it seemed to just pour out of the sky, in a solid glistening column of light, engulfing him completely, illuminating him like the newly risen Sun in the morning sky, except it was dark then.

The more Daphne looked at young Harry, the more she was attracted to him, but, she just couldn't place her thoughts on 'why' she felt so, so, attracted to him. She wasn't afraid of him, in fact, truth be told, she felt safe around him. And Loved!

Daphne turned to her Mum, "Mum?" Her Mum looked at her oldest daughter, "What is it, Daphne?"

"That boy. I feel like I've seen him."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't describe it, but, I just don't know. Maybe, in my dreams I've been having. From what I've felt, he is the nicest boy, and I feel safe around him. He isn't afraid of anyone, nor of anything."

Her Mum just looked at her oldest daughter, and smiled. "I think I understand what you're trying to say, dear. Don't worry, just go with your feelings and all will be alright."

Astoria looked at her sister and like all little sisters said what she felt, "Oh, Daph, you've just got the hot's for him, that's all!" She was smiling.

"Tori! Don't say that so loud! Someone might hear you! That'd be so embarrassing! I'd just die if he heard you!" Daphne hissed out to her little sister.

"Don't you wish! Mum! Daph's gonna get married before she even gets on the Train!" Astoria called out.

"Astoria, Daphne, now stop that now, Astoria, it's impolite to tease your sister like that." Their Mum scolded the two sisters.

Astoria smiled while Daphne just looked on at Young Harry. 'I KNOW I've seen you before.' She was thinking.

"Well, dear, it's time for you to board the train. We'll all miss you. And, be sure to let us know what House you're sorted in." Her Mum looked at her and hugged her oldest daughter.

"Remember, Daphne, It doesn't really matter what House you'll be in, just do your best, study hard, learn all you can and make friends. The friends you make in school you'll have for the rest of your life." Her Dad was giving her some practical advice.

"I will, Mum. And, Dad, I promise to study and make good grades and I'll write you often." Daphne was letting her parents know but at the same time, in the back of her mind, she was trying to recall just 'where' she'd met that strange young man who demonstrated such an incredible amount of Magical Power, especially for one so young. He'd even impressed her Dad.

Daphne boarded the Hogwarts Express and waved goodbye to her family, turned and went into the cars, looking for a place to sit. Walking on down all she saw were compartments that were filling fast, so she continued on down, towards the end of the train cars, looking for an empty compartment when she spied the aforementioned young man sitting alone in a compartment, just staring out the window.

"Hello, my name is Daphne Greengrass, of the House of Greengrass. May I sit with you? Please? All the other compartments seem to be full." Daphne wanted to talk with him but didn't want to push it nor intrude on him. Slow and easy was her 'motto'. She'd learned a long time ago, by the way time was measured in her short life of eleven years, that if you have questions, just observe and see what happens, what answers you get. Many questions were answered just by observation. There were just so many answers to some of the obvious questions, so, she was bidding her time.

Harry looked over and up at her. His Mum, Minerva, had taken the time over the years to teach him about the Laws and Politics and the Families of their World, so, he recognized her family name.

"Yes, of course, please, sit down with me." Harry got up and smiled thusly displaying proper manners to his guest in the compartment. "My name is Harry Potter, but please, call me Harry."

"Daphne came in and as she was bringing in her trunk, Harry helped her by levitating it up to the racks overhead.

"Thank you, Harry. I appreciate your help."

"My pleasure, Lady Greengrass." Harry smiled at this attractive lady who'd just come into his life.

As they were getting comfortable with one another, Daphne noticed that Harry would look at her once in a while and turn his head back to look out the window. So, she took matters in hand and started a conversation, about something she wanted to know about.

"Harry, may I ask you a question?"

He looked at her, nodding his head in approval.

"On the Train Platform, I saw you perform the Patronus Charm. That's one of the most difficult light charms to be performed, yet you're able to do it."

Harry was nodding his head, briefly, "Yes, It is rather difficult, but if you know how it's done and have a good strong positive memory, something that really makes you feel great inside you, the charm is easily done. In fact, over time and with experience and practice, it becomes easier."

"You must have many good memories to use, then."

Harry looked out the train window, thinking. He turned his head back to look at Daphne, "Yes, Lady Greengrass, I have many good positive and loving memories to choose from. I can choose one of them and by way of altering the charm I can do many things with that particular charm. In fact, some of my memories, the really good ones, you'd be very surprised at seeing." Harry stopped talking and looking at her, briefly, smiling, he turned back to look at the passing countryside, taking in the passing scenery and the beauty of what he was seeing.

"Harry, that charm, the Patronus, that's a very advanced charm. You're just starting your first year. How?" Daphne couldn't finish her question, but Harry understood what she was trying to ask.

"I've had the advantage of living at Hogwarts for just about ten years now. I've been in every class with both my Mum and the other faculty and they've been teaching me anything I've had questions about. I once asked my Mum if I could just take the NEWTS, since I just about know them all by heart anyway, but she told me I would learn more from being with students my own age. She mentioned being around students of my generation. Anyway, something like that. My Godfather, Remus Lupin, the Professor of Defense, Professor Flitwick, Charms Professor and my Mum, all three taught me the Patronus Charm, how it's used, plus, Professor Flitwick taught me how to adjust it, or change it for different purposes. I've learned so many other charms, both Light and Dark, there's not much I can't do. When I finish my Formal Education, I want to work for the Ministry, turning charms into other forms of use. I've already got many ideas I've written down." Harry just continued to look out the window and every once in a while look at Daphne, smiling.

Daphne wanted to know something, and it seemed like now was a good time to at least ask. "Harry, I noticed that one of your Patronus, of the many you produced, one looked like me."

Harry just looked out the window, thinking. He KNEW the answer to her question, but he didn't know just how to break it to her. He didn't want to scare her.

Daphne continued to look at Harry. "Harry?"

"Daphne? May I use your first name?"

"Yes, uh, why yes, of course you may. I mean, why shouldn't you?"

"You're the oldest daughter of the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass. Your Father is a Lord and is on the Wizengamot. I should not be so presumptuous as to be so familiar with using your first name. Anyway, this is what my Mum has taught me to say."

"Oh, Harry, you may use my first name. It'll be alright. Now, the answer to my question. Please?"

"Remember when I said I have many memories, good memories?"

"Yes, I do. Why?"

Harry was silent for a moment. Dark Wizards he was not afraid of, Demons, well, even THEY, he could handle, he's done all that previously and even though it'd taken all he had, still, he wasn't afraid, but with this young lady, he didn't want to hurt her or shock her or make her afraid of him. Instead, he answered her in a short 'usable' frame of reference that she'd, hopefully, understand.

"You're one of my many, good memories. In fact, you're the best memory I have, outside of my Mum." There – it was all said and done. The Kneazle is out of the bag, or, as the Muggles would say, 'the cat's out of the bag' now. Harry braced himself for her negative reaction.

Daphne didn't say anything for a few moments, but, instead, she looked at him, staring. She couldn't believe what he'd just said. All her recent thoughts of a skinny, black haired young man with the greenest eyes whom she could CLEARLY see in her dreams and thoughts of memories past, all of that came to the forefront of her thoughts just now. 'THIS, is the proof I've been wanting! ' Daphne's thoughts were racing as to what to say to Harry, and just 'how'.

Harry, on the other hand, took her silence in another way. He just looked at her sitting there, not saying a word, so the obvious thing for him to think was that she didn't like what he'd said, even though it was the truth. He got up and got his trunk down off of the overhead rack, levitating it to the floor and went to the door to leave. He wasn't going to stay around her, or anyone else, who either didn't like or want him, nor wanted to hear the truth. It was then, that he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait, Harry. Where're you going?"

Harry stopped and didn't turn around to look at her. He felt that he'd said something, truth as it was, that she didn't like. "Fine way for me to start off my first year here at school." This was Harry's first thought.

"Why are you leaving?"

Still not looking at the very attractive young lady who was standing behind him, he answered her, very quietly and softly, "Apparently you didn't like my answer to how I power my Patronus, and you don't like me."

She was quiet.

"I don't like to be around those people who don't like me and will eventually make fun of me and laugh at me behind my back. I've had enough troubles in my life, troubles you'd know nothing about." Harry turned around and looked directly into her eyes. Suddenly, Daphne was looking at the REAL Harry, the Harry that faced the Darkest of Dark Wizards, the boy, the young man who'd faced a Demon who'd come out of the Pit of Hell who wanted to overtake the World, but was stopped, COLD, in his tracks by a young man who'd managed to wield such a vast amount of Magical Power that not even the Demon who'd called himself 'Albus Dumbledore' could overcome him. Daphne was now looking at a Wizard whom she felt, immediately, such immense amounts of Magical Power coming off of him.

Yet, she wasn't afraid of him.

There was something about him that showed her he was afraid of hurting her, of disappointing HER!

"Please, Harry, let me explain my hesitation at answering you. Please!"

Harry didn't move, nor say a word. His body posture and bearing seemed to calm down, but still, he was very much in control of himself and his abilities.

"Harry, I've been having dreams, not just at night, but thoughts in the daytime. Sometimes, when I least expect it, I can 'see' things, actions, people I've not met, situations that I've not been in, they all come at me. I don't know where they've been coming from." Daphne just looked at Harry for a few moments and saw that he was not saying anything. He was just keeping quiet. Daphne stepped closer to him, placing both her hands on his shoulders, turning him around to face her. They were a breaths' apart from each other. She, just staring, looking deeply into his eyes and not flinching. It was THEN, that they both knew the truth about one another. All their thoughts that'd come crashing into their minds as of late, it was all true. Harry looked at her with 'new' eyes and an opened understanding:

"You're my wife."

Daphne didn't say a word just then, instead, she just smiled and kissed him on his lips, long and tenderly and without hesitation!

Finally, she broke the kiss and looked into his Emerald Green Eyes, smiling and with her arms around him. "Yes, Harry, I'm your wife!"

"Here, please, sit down beside me, we've got a lot to talk about." They sat down next to each other and talked.

It was Harry who began. "Daphne, what has happened to us, all these thoughts that'd've been coming into our life lately, it all happened before. In another life. My life previously, it was filled with people who either hated me and abused me or just used me for their own ends. Previously, in school, I had to fight for my life in every year. I've had to overcome tremendous obstacles, but, I had some friends by my side and a few supporters. But, still, my life was very hard. It was towards the end, the last year that I met you and several other witches, some were our age and others were much older than me. Still, they all loved me, absolutely. When, at the end, that final fight, all of you were there with me. None of you deserted me. You stayed right there, by my side, holding my wand arm and hand while I poured forth all the Power that Hogwarts could avail me so I could defeat two of the Darkest of the Dark Wizards our kind would ever face."

Daphne looked at him. 'Everything he's just said', she thought to herself, 'matched all her visions she'd been having'. She'd never been in a fight, nor duel, nor any kind of a battle for her life. Not in THIS life, anyway. But, this Emerald Green eyed young man has just verified everything she's been experiencing as of late.

"Harry," Daphne began the basic underlying question, "If you were so successful, why are we here, now?"

Harry looked down towards the floor. Thinking. Finally, he spoke up, very quietly. "I don't really know, Daphne. But, I feel like the only answer that I can come up with is that I was dying, that somehow, I'd either failed or that I'd succeeded but that it'd taken everything out of me to the point that I couldn't continue living anymore. Something like that. I just don't know."

There was a knock on their compartment Door and it was then opened by a young lady. She had bushy brown hair and a 'look' about her that indicated she was searching for something. "Oh, Hello. My name is Hermione Granger and I'm helping Neville Longbottom look for his toad. He's lost him. Have either of you seen him?" Hermione just stood there, one leg put forward of the other, the knee bent somewhat, both of her hands still holding on to the sides of the opened door.

"Oh, the toad. Have either of you seen Neville's toad?" Hermione looked at Harry, into his eyes and when she did, she stopped talking and just looked at him, not saying a word.

Then, she spoke up, quietly.

"You're the one! On the train station platform who performed that incredible Patronus!"

Harry just sat there and looked at Hermione. For a while, time stopped for him, for he was contemplating on just what to say. Finally, he came out with a kind statement. "Yes, that was me."

Daphne, sitting there, just looking at Hermione, wasn't exacting speechless. "I know you." It was just a very short sentence, but it was powerful and to the point. The two girls just looked at one another and slowly, their memories were returning.

Harry 'knew' this girl. All his memories were there, in full and as clear as day. He just didn't want to scare her, which he now saw wasn't gonna happen.

"Won't you sit with us, Hermione? I think it'd be appropriate, seeing as how I think we have much to discuss." Harry offered her a seat beside himself.

Hermione looked at Harry and Daphne, biting her lower lip in an expression of worry over not knowing just how to start. Finally, it was Harry who asked her a very leading question.

"You've seen me previously, haven't you?" Harry stated, rather bluntly, but not in an unkind way.

Hermione looked at Harry, rather surprised, it showing on her face. 'Uh, yes, yes I have. How'd you know?"

It was Daphne who'd answered. "I'm the same way, Hermione. For most of this past Summer, I've been having dreams, and memories of Harry, and others in places that I knew I'd not been to or with people I'd not been with. Like you, I've got a lot of questions to ask, but I don't know if Harry here can answer all of them. If he could, I'd certainly be surprised."

Harry looked at both of the young ladies, smiling briefly, but not looking at them. He'd turned his head and continued to look out the window at the still passing scenery. "You know, I've been on this train previously, many times, and I can still remember the scenery passing by. It's all so beautiful, peaceful. Not a worry in the world." Harry spoke so softly, he didn't know if the young ladies with him heard him or not. He was just stating a fact, describing his feelings.

"I grew up at Hogwarts. My Mum, the Headmistress took me to her classes, transfiguration. I sat against the wall, out of the way. One of the elves would always be with me, sometimes two of them. Mum always had me in her sight, or in the sight of the elves. I can still remember to this day, the classes I sat in – Transfiguration, charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, even Muggle Studies. It was my Mum, Flitwick, Mooney, Sirius, Snape, Hooch, even Hagrid. I remember them all. As I grew older, the lessons came easier to me, in fact, I'd even take the OWLS and NEWTS a couple of times and made almost perfect scores. All the teachers there said when I finish school I'd be eligible for my Mastery in all those subjects I'd just mentioned. The only one who knew why I could was my Mum, none of the rest could figure it out. Mum raised me safely, yet she gave me a grand childhood, the best that any child could ever have." Harry stopped talking for a while, not saying anything else. It was Daphne who spoke up.

"Harry, how did you know about me and Hermione?"

Harry smiled and turned to look at the both of them. I've always known about you Daphne, and you, Hermione, and the other three. Always. It was just something that I just 'knew'." Harry was quiet for a few moments. "So, too, has Mum."

It was Daphne who asked the next question - "Harry, if you and your Mum knew about us and your past, why haven't you or her made any effort to contact any of us?"

Harry just smiled, sort of. "She wanted me to grow into myself, my abilities. She saw that what I really needed was a real family who loved me, without the additional pressure being put on me concerning what I truly am."

Hermione looked at Harry with a puzzled look, "What do you mean 'What are you'?"

Harry looked at both of the young ladies for a few moments and turned his head back towards the window, just looking at the passing scenery. Swallowing a bit, he said, in a very quiet, almost subdued voice: "I think I've said enough, for now. If you want to be who you truly are, then the answer to that question will eventually come to you through your returning memories. All I can say is just watch and listen." He turned his head to look at the both of them, adding, "After all, this IS a school. Where you have the opportunity to learn." He smiled slightly, cryptically, and turned his head once again to look out the window at the passing scenery.

The girls just looked at him and looked at each other. Hermione was not one to be put off from someone who had the information she wanted or needed. Especially, THIS question!

"Harry . . ." Hermione started to criticize him when Daphne shook her head. Daphne placed her hand on Harry, making physical contact with him. "Harry, it's just that this is the first time we've been able to verify that our thoughts and dreams, memories, if you will, are actually real. We've not had the opportunities that you've had. Please, just bare with us and try being with us some while we're at school and let us learn from you. We promise not to antagonize you and pester you. If all this IS true, we want to learn all we can to help you." Daphne pulled her hand away from Harry, giving him time to think about what he just said.

"Ok, it's just that I know what coming in my life, as I get older, that is. Everything that's happened to me was not easy. Not then anyway. This time, I can see what may be happening and I can head it off, but still, my life will always be difficult. All of you will just have to have faith in me and trust me." Harry still continued to look out of the train window, trying to think. Then he added, very softly, "Especially at the very end."

Both girls looked at one another, perplexed.

"What do you mean, Harry? At the end? May we ask?" Hermione asked him softly.

Harry was quiet. Very quiet. "I've been given a second chance at life. All of us have. You two and the other three, but, nothing is free. There's a price to be paid for all of this. The books, the scales of justice, have to be balanced and I'm the One who has to pay the price."

Harry looked around the compartment and at the two young ladies, "Don't worry. You've got till the end of our seventh year, so, enjoy yourselves."

"What can we do? What is our part?" Daphne asked.

Harry just smiled and looked at them. "Just . . ." and here, Harry got stuck for words. _'What should I tell them? I've known about them since, well, for a long time.' _

"Just - be with me, support me. In time, you'll be the Matriarch's of our families. The British Magical Lines will revolve around you and all five of you will be looked up to and given the utmost respect in our society for having stood up with me in my most desperate time of need."

The two young ladies looked back at one another, perplexed, surprised, smiling, just a bunch of expression and emotions were playing out on their faces.

"Please, for now, let me rest. There's plenty of time for us to be together and have all of your questions answered, Ok?"

"Ok, Harry. Thank you for talking with us. I don't know what House we'll be in, but I do want us to stick together, no matter the House any of us are in." Daphne leaned back in her seat, satisfied that at least she'd got her chance to talk with Harry. She looked at him, thinking, '_I've gotten to know him and he now knows me, although I have reason to believe he knows far more about me, and Hermione over there, than either of us know about him. Somehow, he's been able to retain all of his memories about what'd happened that we can only know through our dreams and random thoughts. Maybe, as Hermione and I grow older, we'll get back our memories.' _

"Harry, one more question, please?" Hermione scooted a little closer to Harry, placing a hand on his shoulder, more to 'connect' with him and get him to feel 'comfortable' with her. "You mentioned there were others, like us." Harry looked at Hermione, smiling, sort of.

"You saw my Patronus' back at the train station? The other three are Susan Bones, she's in our year, probably somewhere here on the train. I'm surprised that she's not tried to find me like you two have. Anyway, the other two are, well, it'll be a surprise for you, Daphne, since you know more about our World than does Hermione."

Both ladies looked at Harry and then turned to look at each other.

"One is Madam Amelia Bones, the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. And before either of you ask, she's Susan's Aunt. Susan's Parent's died shortly after she was born, both killed by Voldemort's Death Eaters on a raid on their home. The last will be a total surprise to you, Daphne. Totally."

Harry held quiet for a short while. Rita had a hard life, being Muggle Born in a Magical Society. The only way she had to survive was to know all about the Wizards and Witches and she began her column for the Daily Prophet. She WAS 'well known', but she had contacts at all levels of Society, from the highest levels of the Ministry, the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizards all the way down to the absolute lowest levels, the dregs, of their Magical Society. And they ALL knew her. She was their 'Mouth Piece', so to speak. She got them information that no one else could and in order for her to survive, she put their own Political 'Spin' on their information. In return, she survived and kept her informants secret. Of course, sometimes she had to barter with the only coin that a single, Muggle Born Witch had, one who was very attractive! She went to bed with many of the 'Movers and Shakers' in their Political World, and she was the Best. If Rita Skeeter ever needed information, she knew EXACTLY where to go and whom to get it from. Of all the Witches for Harry to choose as one of his Vassals, she was the least likilest one, except for one of the most important factors: She fell in Love with him from the very start! She gave him her Heart, her absolute love and Trust. From the point of view of a disinterested bystander, one could even say that their relationship, at least on the surface, was like that of Voldemort's and Bellatrix's. Kind of odd, but the comparison fit.

Harry looked at the both of them and mentioned one name, "Rita Skeeter." He then turned his head back to continue looking out the compartment window, admiring the passing scenery. He didn't hear a word from Daphne. Hermione, he knew, her being Muggle Born, not that she could help that, she didn't know of Rita's reputation. Now, Daphne, was another matter. Entirely.

While they were talking about harry's other Vassels, the compartment door opened and there, in the doorway, stood a slightly built but well dressed young man with long flowing platinum blonde hair. Next to him stood two rather large, but may it be said, 'fat' young boys. "I was told that Harry Potter was here on the train." Draco Malfoy held out his hand towards Harry, "Hello, I'm Draco Malfoy, and these two behind me are Crabbe and Goyle."

Harry didn't bother standing up nor offering to shake Draco's hand, instead, he just sat there looking at the three with no fear.

"Malfoy, I know all about you, your father and your mother. Your father is a marked Death Eater. He goes on raids, kills innocent people, tortures them, and when his Lord and Master, Voldemort is displeased with him, he's tortured with the Cruciatus Curse. You Father bows down to Voldemort and kisses his feet. Crabbe and Goye's father's have seen this, so they can't deny it. Lucius Malfoy also has to kiss other bodily appendages of Voldemort! All the gold you Father has came from the Black Family when he married your mother. Your Father was under a Marriage Contract with the oldest daughter of the Black Family, but Bellatrix belonged to Voldemort so she wasn't available. Her sister, Andromedia was next, but she married a Muggle, so that left your mother, Narcissa. She didn't want to marry him, but was forced to by her father through the Marriage Contract. Your Father demanded a lot of gold before he married your Mother. THAT'S where the money came from that built the Mansion you live in. It's not Malfoy gold, but Black Family Gold. So don't parade around here telling people how upstanding and above them all you are. The Black's, of which my God Father is the Family Head, is the defacto Head of your Family. So, Draco, get used to it."

Harry looked at Draco with pure vile in his eyes, wanting to say more, but didn't.

"POTTER! Wait till I tell my Father what you've said! The Headmistress will be on her knees, groveling at his feet in front of all of us for payback!" Draco was seething.

Harry stood up, drawing out his wand in a heart beat. He instead, held it up in front of himself for all to see and pronounced, "I, Harry James Potter, the scion of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and a Knight of the United Kingdom and the Personal Protector of the Queen, do hearby swear on my life and my magic, that all I've said about the Malfoy Family is true and correct. I so swear. SO. MOTE. IT. BE!"

With that solemn Oath stated, he was shrouded with a golden glow.

Harry then produced sparks which proved that he still had control of his magic.

"As you can see, Malfoy, I speak the truth. If your Father wants to meet with me and Mum, have him arrange the meeting." Harry then stepped to within a hair's breath of Draco, finishing what he started. "I'll be there, along with the Head of the DMLE, and several Auror's at which meeting I'll PROVE that Lucius Malfoy is a MARKED DEATH EATER! When I do that, under the old Laws of the Ancient and Noble Houses, I'll claim everything that belongs to the Malfoy name and family! So, Draco, my advice to you is to either put up or shut up! Your choice."

Draco started to raise his wand and pronounce a curse on Harry, but harry was quicker. And defended himself with a wandless, nonverbal shield between himself and the other three.

"DON'T – ever try that again, Draco. You're only a step above a squib on the Hammerstein Magical Index and I'm so far above you that you can't even conceive of the Magical Power I have at my command. Just a bit of advice: You're on the wrong track. Keep on doing what you're doing, following in your Death Eater of a father's footstep's and you'll end up either in Azkaban or dead. This is your chance to change. As the Muggles would say, 'The balls in your court.'"

Draco looked at Harry with a new set of eyes and left. Harry wandlessly closed the doors and sat down. Looking up at the two young and very impressed ladies, Harry apologized. "I'm very sorry you had to see that. Draco hasn't changed from then to now. That's just a taste of what my life is like and will be like, at least until Voldemort and all of his minions are either in Azkaban for life or dead. Anytime you want 'out', just let me know. You don't have to decide now."

Harry sat down, letting out a great amount of breath he'd been holding and rested his head against the back of the seat. He closed his eyes and slept.

As the two young ladies watched Harry sleep, Hermione asked a question. "Daphne, Harry mentioned the others in his life. Do you suppose it wouldn't hurt if we talked to them?"

Daphne thought for a moment before answering. "Well, right now, I'd think that it's more of Harry's business, not ours. Now, if right now we were contracted out to him in a Marriage Contract, then it'd be different. This is a very fine line we're walking, Hermione. Right now, I just don't know how Harry'd take it."

Hermione thought for a moment before answering. "Daphne, you know more about our World than I do. Let me look after Harry here, and you go find Susan Bones. Harry said she was in our year. She can't be that hard to locate, I mean, we saw the Patronus that Harry produced so that'll give you some idea of what she looks like."

"You just want to talk with her, like two first years getting to know one another?"

"Yea, something like that. Look, Daphne, this concerns the both of us. Harry said we're his wives, or going to be, so that means that the other three are his what ever you'd call them here."

"The term, Hermione, is 'Vassal'. They are one step below wives. They have all the same responsibilities that we have, including that of Social Status and the Mothers of his eventual Children. In our World, it's not looked down upon. In Harry's position, and what he's done for all of us, then just about any witch would agree to be his Vassal, and that'd include ANY of the witches here at Hogwarts, single or not!"

"Ok, I just didn't know. Thanks, Daphne, I've got a lot to learn, if you'd be willing to teach me."

Daphne reached over and held on to Hermione's hand. "We're going to be like sisters, or what ever the term is, so it'd be in our best interest to get to know one another."

Daphne got up, "Look, Hermione, let me go find Susan, and see if she'd like to talk with us, get to know us and see if she has memories. I'll return, but in the meantime, if anything happens, wake Harry, he'd be more than happy to defend you and take care of you. Afterall, you're going to be the mother of some of his children!" Daphne smiled, Hermione looked surprised and also smiled as Daphne left.

Daphne left their compartment looking into each of the other compartments, looking for Susan. All she had was the image that was in her mind from seeing Harry's multiple Patronus'. Finally, after going through two more cars she found her, towards the front of the train.

Knocking on the compartment door, she stuck her head in, "Hello, I'm Daphne Greengrass. Are you Susan Bones?"

Susan looked up at Daphne, clearly not expecting her, but what Daphne saw was not the look of surprise but that of unexpectedness, as if she almost recognized her.

"Uh, I'm Susan Bones. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to talk with you about something, a family matter. It's confidential and won't take long. You'll be ok."

"Yes, sure. You know, Daphne, you do look familiar to me. I think I've seen you somewhere else previously, but I just can't place where."

"Well, that's what this is about. Come along with me. We can talk in the compartment where I'm at. I want to introduce you to two other people you may recognize."

The two young ladies walked back to the compartment where daphne and Hermione and Harry were staying. "Hermione," Daphne said as she opened the door and went in. "This is Susan Bones. The young man over there is Harry Potter, Scion of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, God Son of Lord Sirius Orion Black of the Ancient and Noble House of Black. Please, Susan, have a seat, we need to talk."

It was Hermione who started asking indirect questions. "Susan, do either of us, or Harry, look familiar to you?"

Of all the questions to be asked, that was not on her list. But, Susan looked at the three of them and thought they looked familiar. "Both of you look familiar to me, including Harry there, but I just can't place where I've seen the both of you." Susan shook her head.

Daphne asked another question, "Susan, have you been having any dreams, either at night or had some thought or memory come to you during the day, something you just can place or identify?"

Susan sat there, thinking. Nodding her head, "Yes, I've had what you've described."

"Did it start sometime this summer? For either you or your Aunt Amelia?" This was Daphne asking.

"How'd you know?" Susan asked.

"Both Hermione and I have had those same dreams and thoughts happen to us this past Summer. It started when we got our Letters. That's also when our Magic began to surface."

"Also, Susan, to the best of our knowledge, everything that we've had dreams and thoughts of, or impressions that it's happened to us previously, they're all true. We've talked to Harry and he's confirmed it all with us." Hermione sat back in her seat and just let Susan take in everything that she's heard.

"My Aunt and I have been having dreams and thoughts that seemed so real. It's like we actually lived them. Some of them, well, it's like we were married to Harry, except that he was older and, well, Auntie and I had a good laugh. At first, it was a bit embarrassing, but we got over it. We've actually grown closer and depend on one another since we've had these dreams. Some, though, come to us in the daytime. Can Harry help us in some way?"

"I can, Susan." It was Harry, he woke up when he heard her voice.

"Oh, I didn't know you were awake. I didn't want to disturb you."

"That's ok, I'm a bit tired. I've felt like I've just dueled and it took everything out of me. Kinda hard for me to explain to you, but all I can say is that it's real. Here, hold out your hands, Susan, let me hold on to you. I want to share something with you. It's like Legilimency only easier. I'm only going to help you remember what has already happened to you."

Susan held out her hands and Harry took them in his and he began clearing her mind of the shadows she'd had over her previous life with him. The changes were almost automatic in that Daphne and Hermione could see the changes on Susan's Face.

"I can remember!

Susan looked at Harry, smiling. "You and I and, and, Daphne, Hermione! We're all family! You both are Harry's wives and I'm his Vassal." Susan Looked around the compartment, "Where's Rita? And, well I know this sounds odd, but where's my Auntie? She's also Harry's Vassal. We're all happy together. What happened? Harry, I can remember everything!" The look on Susan's face was, no, is, that of happiness.

"What I did was just remove the shadow that was placed across your mind. When the Lady Hogwarts sent us all back in Time, to the night that my Parents were killed, she placed a veil across your mind, except for me, my Mum Minerva, and the Paintings at Hogwarts. She wanted some of us to remember and know what'd happened when I defeated both Voldemort and that Demon who portrayed himself as Dumbledore. Hogwarts is 'sentient', just for your information."

"Can you removed this shadow from my Auntie's mind? And Rita's, also?" Susan asked.

"Yes, I can and will, in time. You see, I need time to grow into myself as I should be. I am a very powerful Wizard, Susan, not to brag, but just due to what'd happened, I've retained much of that Magical Power and abilities that I used previously. These past many years, Minerva McGonagall has been my Mum and to tell you all the truth, she's been one of the best Mum's anyone could ever want or hope to have. And before you even ask, she knows everything about us. She's one of the few that didn't have her mind 'Veiled' or 'Shadowed' as I call it. In fact, she and I were the only two living beings who were. The Paintings are just memories, they don't 'live', not as such as we are."

"Harry, what can I do now? How can I help you? Will we all still be together?" Susan asked all these questions in a rush.

Harry laughed some at Susan's anxious rush of questions. "We'll all eventually be together, as a Family, but for the time being, just go to school, enjoy yourselves, and try not to look like you're out of place. I don't think you'll have any problems in the classroom. Mum will expect all of us to know the material. If any of you want to earn Mastery's in any of the Subjects, she can arrange it. We can all still be together as friends, in fact, I'd love it if each of you would be my girlfriends will Mum can arrange Marriage Contracts with each of your families. This'll happen when we reach the age of sixteen, so hopefully, by then each of you will have at least one Mastery in the subject of your choice, more if you want. You DO still remember the material, don't you?"

Each of the three young ladies nodded their heads.

"Harry, Dear, since my memories have been returning, I've been recalling the lessons I've been taught. My Mum and Dad got me the books so I could read them and continued to catch up. Hermione, here, will have to study for the rest of the semester to do that, maybe Susan will, too, but after Christmas, we'll all be up to date and can start our Mastery's then, if you or we can let your Mum know." Daphne looked at Harry now with more pleasure in her eyes and heart. So, too, did the others.

"What about the House we'll be sorted into? Will we all be as we were, you know, in different Houses?" It was Hermione who asked the leading question. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I like my former House, but I don't want to be separated from the rest of you. I'd love for us girls to be in one House and have the fun of sharing one Dorm. It'll be like we were when we were all married to Harry, you know, before." Hermione looked at the other two girls.

"I agree with you, Hermione, It'll be easier on us all. That way, we can keep tabs on each other, study at our faster pace and no one else will see us as any differently than the other first years, except for our good grades."

"You're right, Daphne, We can all talk about our Harry and no one will be catching on. I like that. Oh, Hermione, I'd like to be in Gryffindor with you, that is, if Daphne would be ok with that choice." Susan said.

The other two girls, Susan and Hermione, looked at Daphne, who just shrugged her shoulders and nodded positively. "Sure, works for me. It'll be different, but at least I won't have to be on the watch for Malfoy trying to dominate me or, well, you girls know what I mean." Daphne scrunched up her face.

"I know what you mean, Daphne, I know what you mean." It was Hermione, thinking of Ron in that last year.

"Ok, ladies, it's settled then, we're going into Gryffindor, so just tell the Sorting Hat what you want and don't be surprised if the Hat will be able to read your mind and feelings about what you want. The Hat does take into consideration your feelings and wishes. I want each of you to be very happy now, you've all earned that right for standing up with me when it really counted. If even one of you bowed out during that last duel with that Demon, I, well, to tell you the truth, I don't know if I could have held on." Harry looked at each of the girls in his life, and loved each one. "For me, those memories of that last day are still fresh in my mind and I still love each of you, including Amelia and Rita." Harry looked at Susan, "Susan, I do want to talk with your Aunt and Rita. It doesn't have to be now or soon, but sometime, by the end of the year. They're older and their memories will take more time to acclimate to this time period since what I call our 'Awakening'. We've got lots of time, so just enjoy yourselves."

"Now, I've got to get some sleep." Harry took off his shoes and propped his feet on the seat in front of him and leaned his head against Daphne's shoulder. Susan placed his feet in her lap and rubbed them. Hermione, held on to his hands.

The three girls looked at one another, nodding their heads in a silent agreement they all sat with him, in silent protection of him and as a silent witness of their decision to stand with him, just like they once did not too long ago.

Harry slept the sleep of the just for the entire train ride back home to Hogwarts.

Meanwhile, on the train were two who clearly were not happy with their station in life. One was Draco Malfoy and the other, not surprisingly, was Ron Weasley.

"Well, Draco, looks like Potter was put in his place when you had your little talk with him, wasn't he?" It was one Pansy Parkinson. She's been betrothed to Draco by their Fathers since their birth and they both knew it, especially Pansy.

"Parkinson! I don't need your crap right now. I don't know how Potter did it, but they were all Lies!" Draco was sitting there with Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Theodore Nott and Blaize Zabini.

"Looked like that Oath her made was pretty obvious to me that he was telling the truth." Gregory said.

Draco was seething. He'd been embarrassed by Potter. All his life, he'd heard nothing from his father but how Potter had somehow done away with their Lord and he'd not come back. All his life, Draco had been told that their Lord and Master was the most powerful Wizard who'd ever lived and now, Draco himself had been taken down by that same Potter! And in public, yet! 'At least it was just in front of Crabbe and Goyle and Parkinson. Those three don't have a brain among them!' Draco's thoughts were not exactly pleasant, not for now, anyway.

"What'd you gonna do now, draco?" Vincent asked him.

Draco just looked out the window, looking at the passing scenery. If he'd only knew just how similar he was to Harry, he'd probably blow a gasket. There were several differences, but, the similiarities were only on the surface. None of them went any deeper than 'skin deep'. Draco wasn't built nor taught that way. Friends, for Draco, were to be used for achieving your goals, not to be involved in personality. He looked around him and saw not people, but subservient's whom he could use, and right now, they weren't doing their job. Or so he thought.

"You know, Draco, he was right in that your Father is a Death Eater." It was Pansy who spoke.

"Pansy, you're not telling me anything I don't already know."

"Maybe." Pansy just shrugged her shoulders in a non committal way. "But, how'd he know that?"

"Maybe he was told by his Mum? You know, the Headmistress of Hogwarts?" It was Crabbe who spoke up again.

"Shit!" Draco verbally exploded, getting everyone's attention. "Why is it that that half blooded blood traitor, Muggle loving, Mud Blooded Loving Orphan is surrounded by witches who are the smartest and I don't have any who have one brain cell among them!" Draco's completion went from chalk white to pink.

"Uh, well, Draco, we're not witches. We're Wizards. Does that help?" Goyle asked, catching Pansy, Nott and Zabini's attention and causing them to laugh.

"Merlin help me from incompetent sycophants!" Draco muttered to himself. "Just how does the Dark Lord do it with followers who aren't smart enough?"

Pansy replied out loud without even thinking, "Well, Draco, sweetie, he IS powerful, Magically. Does that help?"

Draco looked at her, rolled his eyes and turned his head away. 'I'm supposed to MARRY her?! Just WHAT in MERLIN'S NAME were my Parents thinking? I'll be the laughing stock of Pure-Blood Society. Our child will come out looking like one of us, but with the brains of Crabbe or Goyle.' Draco was not having a productive day.

Ron, meanwhile, was sitting alone in his compartment. He'd tried to sit with the Potter boy, but was driven out by that Greengrass girl. He'd never seen anyone draw out their wand so quickly, he'd almost pissed in his pants! All he could do was mutter out a few inconprehensible words and stumble away. Just where she got the idea that Potter 'belonged' to her, he had no idea. His Mum was gonna be real mad. He was supposed to make friends with him and get on his good side so that some of his social standing and gold would rub off on him and his family. He could still hear his Mum's words:

_"__Now, Ronald. I want you to ingradiate yourself with that Potter boy. He's been raised by the Headmistress of Hogwarts and you'll do well to be his friend. Maybe some of his social standing and gold will rub off on you and us. Merlin knows, we can use it. IF you can't do your job for the Family, my only other way is to use your sister, Ginny. I KNOW she can do your job for us! Just remember: DON'T LET ME DOWN!' _

Ron sat there, taken down by that Greengrass girl and another girl with bushy brown hair that looked like a mess, and those teeth! 'Who'd EVER want to snog something that looked like THAT?! At least I have red hair. That's gotta count for something.'

There he sat, not knowing what he'd missed by being friends and really standing by a friend and not being greedy. Like Draco, he, too, had his problems.

Meanwhile, Harry slept the sleep of the Just, with his head on his girlfriend's shoulder while his other two girlfriend's were with him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry and Daphne, book 2 Chapter 4**

**Chapter 4**

**Hogwarts: The Sorting, or, Shadows of the Future**

Author's Note: When the Lady Hogwarts speaks, it'll be noted in Italics. Harry will still have his two wives and three vassals, so live with it. Daphne will be his main one with Hermione a far second. The other three have their place. Updates will come slowly, but the chapters will be rather long. This chapter is over 7,000 words. The ending of this story is already written, and like the American Author, ' ', who was famous for his unexpected endings, so too, will be mine. I've taken elements from the Seven Books and combined them, so, if you see that, well, just live with it. This is just a story, read it, enjoy it, and don't send me Flames or notes why it's 'bad' or whatever your 'beef' is. There are some minor misspellings. Oh, I've made sure, or tried to, to 'amp' up the rating due to 'hot' words, that seem to fit the occasional outburst of anger, when appropriate. Ignore it, if that suits you.

"Harry, time to wake up. We're here at the Hogsmead train station." Daphne was in the process of waking up Harry.

Susan looked at him and had an idea. "Here, Daphne, I'll wake him up in a way he'll not forget." Susan bent over Harry's sleeping form and kissed him on the lips, tantalizing him with her tongue, which Harry readily accepted. Harry's eyes shot open with him struggling to get up, what with Susan almost laying on top of him.

She leaned up, grinning, "See! I told you I could wake him!" She helped him stand up, "Come on, lover boy, Time to get your robes on and get to school."

Hermione was standing up, putting on her robes and looked at the kissing scene, thinking. "Are you allowed to kiss Harry like that?"

Susan looked at her, smiling. "Of course we are, we're his girlfriend's and with that comes the privilege of kissing our boyfriends." Susan leaned up towards Hermione and 'whispered' to her, even though Daphne obviously could hear, "But the good stuff will come later, if you know what I mean! At least after the Marriage Contracts are signed!" Susan winked at Hermione, who was blushing furiously. Hermione knew what Susan meant, and she was looking forward to it.

They got off the train and watched as Hagrid's enormous voice boomed out over the train station platform, showing the first years where to go to board the boats. As Harry and the girls were trying to board a boat to themselves, Ron muscled his way on board the boat and sat down, looking at them. "Go get yourselves your own boat, or for that matter, you should just swim across, this is for Wizards, not Mudbloods and Blood Traitors."

Hermione just looked at Ron, remembering his name from a few hours ago from the confrontation on the Train, "How rude! Even Muggles have better manners than you! Besides, you've got a spot of dirt," Hermione pointed to the right side of her nose, "right here, on your nose. Also, you need to brush that mop of hair you've got."

"You're one to talk, your bushy hair looks like a rats nest, and those teeth! I've seen beaver's with smaller teeth and they chew down trees. Just think what you could do."

Daphne had her wand drawn out before Ron finished his tirade of humiliation of Hermione and pointed it at him. "Move your arse, NOW, or I'll do it for you!"

Harry started to intervene, but Daphne shook her head indicating she'd take care of this.

"No, Harry! He's Mine, and I'll deal with him myself!" Daphne was hot with anger and she didn't mind showing it. All around them the other first years were looking on, some scared, some fascinated, but they all were giving Daphne 'space', and lots of it!

"So, Greengrass, I'm 'yours', now, eh? I appreciate having you as my girlfriend, though I don't want to trade down with the likes of you." Ron made a face at her, speaking without thinking.

"Hey, Greengrass, don't you know you're not supposed to use your wands on students? You're just another example of a Blood Traitor going amock. Take me, for example, I'm from a good, upstanding Pure-Blood family and I've been taught manners. You must have been raised by those Weasley's, all you need is the red hair and freckles and hand me down rags they call clothes." Draco was smiling, or smirking, whatever the difference would be to him.

Daphne whipped around and hit him with her wand, "Silencio!" Whereupon he immediately was silenced. The effect on the other students, even all the upper class students was immediate. They were quiet and very impressed that a first year could do what she did.

Daphne turned around to Ron, "Now, Weasley, move your arse out of that boat, NOW, or I'll do the same on you and send you in the water."

"Screw you, you blood traitor bitch! You can't do that to me, performing magic out of school is not allowed!" Ron was trying to intimidate Daphne, but he was surprised.

"Silencio! Incarcious. Wingardium Leviosio!" Daphne had Ron Silenced, bound and levitated. She levitated Ron over to her, their noses almost touching. "Ron Weasley, you EVER try that Shite on me again, you ever try to intimidate me or harass me, I'll kick your scrawny arse all over this f*****g school in front of the entire student body. Every body will know that THIS Witch can, has and will, beat the shite out of you and publicly humiliated you!" With that said she put him next to Draco in another boat using the levitation charm.

The entire student body of First Years just stood there, mouths open, the other returning upper years stood there, impressed, that a beginning first year could do what she did. Especially impressed were a pair of Red Head's, commonly referred to as 'The Twins'. They looked at each other and said in unison, "Yes!"

Eventually, they all reached the school, looking at the view of the school that every first year would see and remember. Disembarking from the boats, Ron and Malfoy having to have a spot of help, they walked up and waited for Headmistress McGonagall. Everyone gave Daphne, Hermione, Susan and Harry a wide berth, mainly for the Magic that was demonstrated since they didn't know how to perform it themselves. Some of it was definitely way beyond first year, except for the levitation spell.

One small boy walked up to Harry, extending his hand, "Hi, I'm Neville Longbottom, Scion of the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom. My Gran said that our Houses have been friends for many centuries. I just want to continue that Tradition, if it's ok with you." Neville was nervous, seemingly lacking in self confidence.

Harry smiled and extended his hand. "I remember you, Neville. Mom used to take me over to see you and your Grandmother when we were younger. You're right, our families have been friends since they were founded. In fact, both of our Houses attained our Status of 'Ancient and Noble' at the same time. I look forward to being your friend. In fact, when Potter Manor is opened, I look forward to having your family visiting us. Consider that an open invitation."

"Thank you, Harry, I will."

"Nevillle, I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriends. This is Daphne Greengrass, oldest daughter of Lord and Lady Greengrass of the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass. The other, is Lady Susan Bones of the House of Bones. Her Aunt is the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the last is Hermione Jean Granger, she's completely Muggle Raised."

"Muggle Raised?" Neville asked in confusion.

"Yes, she was raised by her Muggle Parents, and the term 'Muggle Born' would correctly apply, but that would tend to negate her Magical Inheritance."

"I'm confused. Muggles don't have or can't have a Magical Inheritance."

"Normally, you'd be correct, but in her case, which is extraordinary, her Inheritance came from a very unique source. In time, it'll be disclosed."

Draco snorted, "Potter here, is just trying to make her look like us Pure Bloods, Longbottom. Don't fall for it. She's nothing more than a mudblood."

"I'll make my own decision's, Malfoy, if you please. I don't need any of your advice nor help." Neville replied with a bit of anger.

"IF you want to see just how good I am with my Wand, keep up calling me a Mudblood!" She looked around at the rest of the Upper Years and told them all, "That goes for the rest of you! If any of you call me a mudblood, that'll give me the right to defend myself, and believe me, I can take on ANY of you, including you seventh years! So, if you know what's best for you, DON'T test me!" Hermione had that look in her eyes that she had when helping defend Harry. The rest saw a witch who was not to be tested. They all began to back away. Hermione saw there was going to be no more confrontation, so she put away her wand.

Neville, looked around and saw that Hermione nodded her head at him and he asked Harry a question, "You said, 'Girlfriends'?" Neville asked politely.

"Yes, and the explanation is rather long and a bit 'interesting'. They are Hermione, here, whom you've just seen, the other two are Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass."

"Harry, we've been friends all our lives, I've got your back and I'll support you." Neville held out his hand and the two boys shook, sealing their friendship, once again.

Hermione placed her hand on Neville's shoulder, "Neville, you're a good man; I know of one Witch who'd make a good companion for you. She'll be starting school next year, she's a bit unusual, but she's got a kind heart. I'll introduce you next year when she gets here. In fact, you can send her an Owl and start some correspondence. I do think we'll all be in the same House together. We'll talk some more."

It was at this time that the Headmistress walked in. Normally, it'd be the assistant Head of Hogwarts, but Minerva had been doing this for so long that she didn't want to give it up. She looked down upon the new class and thought to herself, 'Some things just don't change.' She gave them their general instructions and had them to follow her into the Great Hall.

"It just doesn't change, does it Daphne?" Harry asked while leaning his head towards her.

"None that I can see, Harry. Oh, do you suppose we'll all be in the same House we all were in previously?"

"I'd like for all of us to be in the same House, at least you, Hermione, and Susan. If we're all placed in Gryffindor, then which ever one of us is first to be sorted, that person, Susan Bones, can ask the Hat to send Ron to Slytherin. It'd be easier on us." Harry said to Daphne.

Susan heard what Harry suggested, and leaned over to him, "I heard what you suggested and I agree with you. I'll do it!" Susan looked at him and grinned. "It'd be so much more fun for all of us to be together that way."

Harry nodded his head in agreement.

Headmistress and Professor, Minerva McGonagall, walked up the middle aisle in the Great Hall, between the tables where the Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws sat. There, she left the new students standing while she walked up to the podium and announced the opening of the newest school year.

"Welcome, students, both returning and new, to Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to the beginning of the newest school year! First, we'll have our newest students sorted into their Houses, which will be like their Families. Points you either earn or have taken away will be reflected upon your House and your Family. Next, the announcements will be given to you after the Opening Feast in your respective Dormitories. So, let the sorting begin: Susan Bones, please come up and sit on the stool."

Susan came up and sat down, Minerva placed the sorting hat on her head, and like previously, she 'heard' in her mind the voice of the Sorting Hat.

"Hmm, another Bones. It's been a rather long time since your parents and your Aunt were here, sitting where you are, but not so long as I remember you! The Lady Hogwarts told me about you, and Daphne Greengrass and Hermione Granger and the Hero himself – Harry Potter! I must say, all of you have Bravery, gallentry and self sacrifice aplenty, so there's no problem as to where to place you!"

"Wait!" Susan said aloud, in her mind, but not in her voice. "May I make a request? Several, in fact?"

"Hmm, Yes, you may, but I do know what it is you wish to ask, but go ahead and make it."

"We all wish to be placed in the same House. Can you do that? We just want to be together and this would be much easier on us, since you know us for who we truly are."

"Yes, I can place you all in the same House, Gryffindor, is it. Would that satisfy you?"

"Yes! It would. Thank you, so much. Now, for the second request. Ron Weasley will be a problem for us. He doesn't like us, all that 'pure-Blood' crap, we'd like for you to place him in Slytherin House, since that seems where he'd be more where other's are like him."

"I can do that, but let me think about it. I'll consider your request. So, GRYFFINDOR HOUSE it is!" the last part was voiced out loud for everyone in the great hall to hear.

Susan Bones, got up, smiling at her companions and sat down at the head of Gryffindor House Table.

After the rest of the students were sorted, Daphne and Hermione were sorted into Gryffindor as was requested, Harry's name was called by Minerva, both the Headmistress and his Mum. She was smiling.

As Harry started to sit on the stool, the Lady Hogwarts appeared next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. She was dressed in a long white gown, trimmed in Gold, her long red Hair, flowing freely down her back and some over her shoulders cascading down over the upper part of her chest. It had the texture of the finest silk.

_"I am the Lady Hogwarts, I am the Spirit of both this Castle and the overseer of the Founders. It is My Magic that protects this Castle, which is My Home. In place of the Founders Hat, once worn by Godric Gryffindor himself, it will be I who will place Harry into his House, which will be Gryffindor! Though I am the overseer of my Home, Harry James Potter, Lord of the Houses of Potter, Black and two of the Founders, is also a Knight of the Realm of the United Kingdom, Knighted by the Queen herself! Harry is my Protector as well as the Queen's Protector and Defender. His Betrothed's are also under my Protection as well as his. Harry has served me well in his previous Life and defended not only this Castle and all who dwelled within it, but the rest of the Magical World! But! - Be Ye Warned! All of you! Let No One Among you neither negate my words nor take away from my Defender and his honor that which he has earned or that which has been given unto him! If any do so attempt, they will suffer the wrath of both me and my Defender! Each of his wives and his Vassals are sacrosanct unto him and me! Let no one touch them with harm nor the 'taking' intended!_

A very hushed quiet descended upon the entire Great Hall of Hogwarts. Not one word was spoken nor a single body moved, that is, until one very small and nervous young wizard stood up.

"May I ask a question, Lady Hogwarts?"

She turned to the newest Gryffindor, smiling. "Yes, you may, Scion of the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom."

"Uh, well, The House of Longbottom and the House of Potter have been close, since their Founding. What was it that your Defender did? If I may be so bold as to ask. I have no knowledge of his actions. I mean no disrespect, I just wish to know, if that's possible." Neville sat down.

_"There was once a Headmaster who was not who he portrayed himself to be. He was, in fact, a Demon from the Pit of Hell, bound to bind all to himself. It was my Defender and his wives and Vassals who stood by the side of my Defender, risking all, and taking upon his shoulders, and theirs also, the entire Magical Load of this Castle and all that I could place upon him. My Defender literally held up the World and crushed the Demon back down to the Pit from whense IT came. When the Founders Created this Castle, they never intended for that to happen, nor was it even considered by them to be possible, but, my Defender accomplished that task. In so doing, my Defender gave me the power and right of Freedom of Choice, he gave me my Free Agency, for me to use in any way I see fit. Never - has one,"_ and here the Lady looked down upon Harry, with misty eyes, and a 'look' that many witches recognized immediately as to how she felt towards Harry, _"so given unto me such Power!, and All of himself, to so willingly protect others and myself!"_

The Lady Hogwarts stilled for a moment in time, looking down at Harry, then looking back up. "All that he's done, both for me and others', pale's in comparison to any reward that I could bestow upon him. It would take an eternity to do so. As such, it is I who owe my Defender a Life Debt, and I intend to repay that Debt before he 'crosses over'."

With the stillness that continued to claim the Great Hall, the Lady Hogwarts dropped another surprise upon them.

_"With the heroism my Heirs gave, I hereby give unto the House of Greengrass the status of 'Most Noble'. To the House of Bones, I give the Status of 'Most Noble' and unto the Minor House of Skeeter, the Status 'Most Noble'. For the first time in our Magical Society, I bestow upon a Muggle Home a Noble Status – I give to the Muggle Parents of Hermione Jane Granger, the Status, "The Most Noble House of Granger', in recognition of their daughter's sacrifice. For all this – So! Mote! It! Be!" _

The Lady Hogwarts, with her hands placed upon Harry's shoulders and her standing behind him, said to him, _"Enjoy your new life, my Defender, and your wives and Vassals, also. Practice your skills, learn more, all of you. This new world has it's own dangers and obstacles for you to overcome. I'll be here when you will need me. I bid you adieu, for now."_

With that said, the Grand Lady of Hogwarts disappeared, leaving the occupants of the Great Hall still and quiet with all eyes upon them of whom the Lady Hogwarts talked about.

During the lull that followed the leaving of the the Lady Hogwarts, one student stood up, he had a mop of red hair and an angry countenance on his face.

"What a crock of Dragon Shite! Harry's no more a f-g hero than I am! He's made all this up to impress us all, leading us to believe that he's some great Wizarding hero. He's nothing more than some jumped up skinny arsed orphan who was taken in by some pathetic wanna be witch who felt sorry for his poor arse. He's just a half blood at best and a blood traitor at that! Don't any of you believe anything you've seen nor heard here. I belong in Gryffindor House, like my family before me! It's all HIS FAULT," and here, Ron Weasley pointed his Middle Finger towards Harry, "that I'm in this House of Slimy Snakes! I'm gonna go sit where I really belong!"

There arose a silence even the dead themselves could not equal.

"Oh, Shite! I knew our brother was thick headed, but not THIS!" came a voice heard by the entire Great Hall.

"I agree, twin." said the responding voice. The older, returning students knew exactly who the voices belonged to.

Another student stood up, but, unlike the first time he stood, this time, he wasn't nervous. "I'm Neville Longbottom, Scion of the House of Longbottom. Every word that the Lady Hogwarts's said, I believe. The House of Longbottom stands with the Houses of Potter, Greengrass, Granger, Bones and Skeeter. Though memories would be nice to see, at some point, you have to have faith and believe in what you also hear, and I believe in Harry and I'll stand by his side and defend him! The Houses of Potter and Longbottom have stood by each other's side for a Thousand Years and I fully intend to continue that tradition, no matter the cost! Let there be no more contention on this matter!"

Just as soon as those words left Neville's lips, there appeared, again, in front of him, the Lady Hogwarts carrying the Sword of Godric Gryffindor.  
"Scion of the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom! In recognition of your bravery, of your willingness to stand up by the side of your Houses' Ancient Friend with so little evidence of his accomplishments, and your willingness to sacrifice all that your House has, I, the Grand Lady of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardary, the advanced Title of 'Most Noble'. It is for your House into Perpetuity." She continued to look at Neville and said in a slightly lowered voice, "But, continue to have constant vigelance, for the day will come before you finish your education that you will have to stand by your Ancient Friend's side and assist in defending this school and our People. In so doing, Scion of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Longbottom, you WILL be absolutely successful! I look upon you with admiration." With that last statement pronounced, she again disappeared.

Neville sat down with many an eye upon him. Though he never knew at that time, many a witch from good families had their 'eye' upon him as a number one prospect for a future husband. Neville's status upon the fair gender had risen to the top. In contrast, Ron Weasley's prospect for a future wife was less than zero; His family wouldn't even be able to buy him a wife with all the gold in Gringott's. He never even knew it. What he did also reflected so poorly upon his House, that his brothers would have a difficult time, at best, in finding a future spouse, due to what Ron said that day and no witch wanted her House and Family associated with 'him!'.

Ron's statement would follow him for the rest of his life.

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall rose from her seat and made her closing speech: "Everyone, this evening, you have witness a rarity in our World, in our Society – The Bestowing of Advanced Titles upon Houses, both Grand and Minor and especially for the first time the Bestowing and Advancement of a Nobel Title upon a Muggle House. This is such a rarity that it's never previously been done in our society and it's doubtful that it'll ever happen again, so, please, remember it well, Keep the memory of the events of this evening well in your mind. Please, follow your prefects to your Dorms. I bid you all a good evening." Minerva left the podium and the student body rose with much murmuring and talk about what'd just happened, both the unusual and the unfortunate. Many a witch just looked at Ron and gave him a wide berth with a sneer on their faces that made Professor Snape smile.

One of the new Slytherine's, Tracy, was heard to say, "Can you imagine what that red headed Gryffindor said?! I'd not marry him for all the Gold in Gringott's!"

Just as soon as she uttered that statement of her feelings, and other witches, both in the House of Salazar Slytherine and the House of Rowena Ravenclaw, Professor Snape walked by them and with in their hearing he was heard to say, "At least SOME good came of all this! Won't those red headed Weasley's EVER learn to THINK before they speak? He deserves just what he'll get in the future." The many witches and Wizards looked at him and for the first time, many saw him actually smile!

A seventh year Witch heard his statement and asked him a question: "Professor Snape, what is it that he'll get? I heard what he said, but, . . ,"

"You're a seventh year, are you not, Nymphadora Tonks?"

"Uh, yes sir."

"You're Allied with the Ancient and Noble House of Black, through your mother, are you not?"

"Yes sir, I am."

"Well then, would you want the Head of your House to make out a Marriage Contract with the Head of the House of Weasley for THAT young man, to be married to him when he reaches his legal age?"

Nymphadora Tonks screwed up her face and thought for a few seconds what they social implications would be. "NO! It's not the age, it's what others would think of me and what they think of him. I'd have to support his arse because he'd not be able to get a job within our World. Besides, I don't want THAT many babies, not like the Weasley's have! My parents have enough troubles with my Mother's House as it is."

Snape looked on at his senior year student in his House, "Now you're learning." Snape turned and walked away, stopped, and said to Tonks, "Miss Tonks, I'll meet with you in the Common Room later, I'm meeting with the Headmistress now."

"Ok, first years, follow me." Tonks said out loud and gathered up her firsties and took them down to the Slytherine dungeons. "Ok, now, here are the rules that apply to us, and it'd be best if you remember them and abide by them. It'll make your life here easy. Whatever happens here in our Common Room and dorms, stays here. You go to any of OUR Prefects or our Head of House, who is Professor Snape. If, for any reason, any of you witches need to, you come to me and I'll help you. Pease believe me when I say this, I know how to keep the others in our House in line. If anybody bothers you, you come to me first. If you have problems with one of us, keep it here, don't take it out where other Houses can see our problems. We always stick together, no matter how we feel about others in our own House. Next, on the outside, if anyone of us gets in trouble, we support them and protect them. That's called, 'taking care of our own'. We do this for each other, even for those of us you may not like nor have a problem with. If you do this, then you'll make points for yourself and it'll mean you'll have an easier time resolving problems with those here in our own House. In short, don't make trouble here, and help each other and life will go easier for you. Just so you know, the other Houses have the same rules, it's just that we generally don't talk about it out in public. So, if there's no questions, go on to bed. You Firsties, I'll show you to your classes tomorrow morning. Make sure you get up before seven a.m."

With those general instructions, Tonks stayed in the Common Room to await for her Head of House. While there, her thoughts went back to a certain very brave first year Lion who publically stood up for his friend on such slender evidence. 'Just look at what he was rewarded with! Merlins Beard! Here I am in my last year of school and haven't had a date nor even a half assed proposal! Seems my second choice of being in the Ministry will be my first choice now. Mum told me I'd be having this problem and now I believe her.' Tonks just sat there and thought for a moment. 'Hmm, that Lion, what was his name? Oh, yea, Longbottom. I remember Mum talking to me about that name, some elderly witch in the Wizengamot with that name.' Tonks got up and paced the floor. She continued to think to herself, 'If he's part of her family, like a grandson, then he'll be inheriting the Longbottom House Head in a couple years at least when he's a bit older. And he's brave, too! Maybe I should strike up a conversation with him and congratulate him on standing up for his friend, Potter. Now, there's one for the Books! He's just a first year and already got how may girls with him? And what the Lady Hogwarts said and rewarded those family's for. There's more to what happened tonight than meets the eye. If I don't make a move on LongBottom tomorrow, every witch here will be in front of me. Can't have that, now can we, Tonksie?' She sat there, thinking to herself till Snape arrived.

Minerva sat in her office, waiting for the rest of the Faculty to arrive and start the meeting. 'Seems a lot is to be discussed this evening.' Minerva thought to herself.

Severus came in, cape billowing out like some overgrown bat. "Severus, glad you could make it. I was wondering about you. Also, how is it you make your cape billow out like some giant bat? You do know you scare many of the younger years doing that, don't you?" She was frowning.

"Humph." He made some kind of noise. "It keeps them on their toes and makes them aware of my presence. I don't have the time to coddle them, Minerva. I'm not their nursemaid."

"Of that I have no doubt. But, maybe you missed your calling and could do for being a nursemaid for a while to see how much of it would rub off on you. Couldn't hurt, now, could it?" She smiled.

Shaking his head, he frowned. "Sometimes, I wonder if your sense of humor is taking a leave of absence."

"Me too, Severus. Me too!" Minerva replied.

"What happened tonight, Minerva?" Severus asked, rather bluntly.

"I think that was very obvious, Severus. We had our First Years inducted into the various Houses here at Hogwarts, like we do every year." Minerva replied, smiling.

"Oh, and don't forget the feast! The food was excellent, as usual." The Herbology professor, Pomona Sprout, added in. Smiling, as usual.

"Even the former Potions Professor, would have agreed with the Feast being the very Best it ever was!" added the diminutive Charms Professor, Professor Flitwick. "It'd be a delight to have him back. He was such a joy to have around."

Severus didn't reply, instead, he just glared at them all while they

laughed.

"It was interesting what the Lady Hogwarts had to say this evening." Minerva began. "It's never happened previously."

At that mention, the rest of the Faculty sobered up and listened. Time to get down to brass tacks, so to speak.

"Why not?" the Arithmancy Professor asked.

"In a word – 'Potter'. Even THAT should be obvious to any dunderheaded first year potions student!" Severus huffed out loud. "I swear, Minerva. Ever since you took in that, that, . ." Severus didn't even get to finish his statement, when Minerva was out of her seat, her wand pointed at Severus, right between his eyes!

"You finish that statement, Snivilus, and you'll be dead, and I'll have another Potions Professor before your worthless body hits the floor!" Minerva had a 'look' on her face that would still the heart of the Chief of the Goblin Nation himself!

"Harry James Potter is MY SON! And, it'd behove you to remember that the next time you even THINK of uttering such a statement, that'd be your death sentence!" Minerva was standing on the old Iron Wood table, her cloak spread out around her, one knee on the table, the other leg was flat footed on the table's surface and her left hand grasping his greasy hair and pulling his head so far backwards, his neck was about to break. Upon doing so, the sleeve of his robes slipped down on his left arm, briefly. But, that was all the time it took for Minerva to notice it!

Minerva almost lost it, right there! Her wand tip was glowing so hot, to such an incandescently brilliant heat that the light from it was blinding. The heat was searing his skin, causing it to bubble and actually cook and sear! He couldn't scream, even if he wanted to, but he just couldn't. If he DID, he'd be betraying his Master and that would mean more than he could bear.

"YOU! YOU betrayed us! YOU BETRAYED MY SON AND HIS WIVES AND VASSALS! IF you EVER BETRAY either HIM or US with what's gong on here or in our lives other that what you've already done, I will personally hunt you down, no matter how many lifetimes it takes and torture you worst than the damned in hell itself!" Minerva was so close to him, the spital from her lips was landing on his face. Her fury was beyond comprehension to even put it into words. Still, she had him in a death grip, his breath almost gone. "You tell your Masters that their days are numbered. Again, they will fail and fall dead at the feet of my son and his wives and vassals. They and all who follow them will be sealed up in the Pit till the prophesied time!"

"Do you understand me, SNIVILUS?" She shook his head till his was seeing stars and his throat so constricted he couldn't breathe. He didn't answer.

"DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND ME, YOU WARPED DEATH-EATER SCUM?" Minerva had lost it, right there in the faculty meeting, in front of all her professors, some of whom, the youngest, had been there over 40 years, others had been there going on a century; Minerva, even longer!

Just as soon as she'd uttered that last statement, a deathly silence had befallen over the entire room, even the portraits of Past Headmaster's had stilled. Everyone just looked at the duel that was taking place before their very eyes and not only THAT, but within arms reach of all of them.

"Ye – ye -yes, Headmistress, I understand. Never again will I besmirch either his name nor yours nor either of your Houses. I so swear!" Severus was now in fear for his life, and he KNEW that Minerva was THAT protective over her son. Even Filius Flickwick, Dueling Champion that he was on the International circuit, wouldn't even THINK of challenging Minerva.

Filius looked on her and his glasses popped off his head in surprise. 'Merlin's Great Balls!' he immediately thought, 'Where in the name of the Great Merlin did she EVER learn to Duel like THAT?!' He swallow hard, as did everyone else there. Even the portraits backed up in their frames.

Minerva backed up from Severus and jumped down off the table, still holding her wand. Sitting down, she started to continue the meeting when Severus got up and Minerva looked at him, HARD, when Severus spoke up. "Please, excuse me, Headmistress, I have to go clean up, I've, I've, well, you see . . ," It was then that the rest of the faculty crinkled up their noses! Severus had not only pissed himself, but he'd lost complete control over his bowels!

Minerva nodded her head and Severus left the meeting, post haste.

I should apologize for that, for my actions, but I won't! There's a lot about my Son, and me, that none of you don't know about. She looked around at the Portraits and added, "And, I'm sure there are 'others' who know what I'm talking about." Some heard the portraits clearing their throats and seeing them looking away, but none of the portraits said nary a word. Until they were released, they were forbidden from even hinting or acknowledging what they knew.

"Due to what has transpired this evening, in the Great Hall, at the Opening Feast, it's time that some of what's happened in the past, should be acknowledged." Minerva stopped for a moment.

"Headmistress," Filius asked. "You referred to Severus as a 'Death-Eater'.

"Yes, I did." she looked at everyone and she had their attention.

"I want to tell you all a story, a story of Greed, hate, stealing, Line Thief, Death of innocents, Lying, hurt, and last of all Bravery. Bravery on such a Scale, that there has never been it's equal in our Land, either before or since. My Son, myself and his wives and vassals – we've all lived previous lives. My Son was a seventh year when he had to face a Dark Lord, not just one, but also the Dark Lord's Master as well. My son killed the Dark Lord in front of all of us, but he then had to face the Master, who, as it turned out, was the Headmaster of this school! He had traded in his humanity for all the powers and magic that the Demons from the Pit of Hell had to offer. At the very end, Harry asked the Lady Hogwarts to give him all the Magical Power at her command, and then some." Minerva got up and walked across the room to the outside windows and looked down. She pointed out the window to a spot that they all knew so well. "You see those footprints, down there, embedded in the very Granite that this Castle was built on? Each of those six pairs of footprints were made by my Son and his two wives and three vassals as they all surrounded Harry. He was given all the power that this Castle produces, and then some, and in so doing, it literally pushed him down into the very Granite, the actual Living Stone that this Castle rests on. The Grand Lady Hogwarts bears living testimony, as do I, my son, and five other witches who currently live among us to this day. Three of those witches dwell within this castle this very evening. The other two, one of which works for the Ministry in a very high position of Authority and Power, the other works for a for profit company owned by a Wizard and, she is very well known."

Minerva turned around and looked at her faculty, never blinking an eye. She held up her wand, pointing it straight up in the air and pronounced, "I, Minerva Mcgonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary, do hereby swear upon my magic and my very life, that all I've said about my past and what's happened, including the names of the people themselves are true. So help me. I. So. Swear. So. Mote. It. Be!" Upon the last pronouncement a light surrounded her, glowing brilliantly and faded away. She then, using her wand, shot out a virtual fountain of Sparks, thus proving that she not only was still alive, obviously, but still contained her magic.

The Faculty just sat there, stunned into speechlessness.

"My Son, Harry, and his three ladies, are very intelligent and extremely knowledgeable about our world. I'm giving them permission to use any book in the Library, including the Restricted Section. In addition, they will have my permission to come and go throughout this Castle at anytime, day or night without restriction nor penalty. They will not be abusing that privilege, so please, don't worry." She looked at Filius, "Professor Flitwick, they four will do very well in your class, so be prepared. Just remember that Harry will have to 'power down' his Magic while he's around other students. He has my complete confidence. This meeting is adjourned."

Minerva just sat there while the others got up and all left.

"Why?" she asked out loud, seemingly to no one in particular.

_"This world and the life you and your son lead, are fraught with it's own dangers. The previous life was one of preparation, for this life, it's not just a test, but the real thing. Your Son's enemy's have found a way back, but, let me reassure you that when, not 'if', but when, your Son defeats them again, things for him will change." _

"Yea, sure, just like you said the last time. Things changed alright, except they've changed for the same." Minerva got up and paced around her office.

_"Minerva, please, let me finish. This time, when your Son defeats them, it'll be permanent. He'll have overcome all his obstacles, his trials will be over. His enemy's will be at his feet succumbed to your Son's wielding of the fantastic Power that he and he alone can handle. No other can do what he does." _

Minerva turned quickly to look at the Lady Hogwarts directly in her eyes. "For your sake, I certainly hope so!" It was said with much venom in her voice.

"He's now MY son, and I'll do whatever it takes to protect him. I know he can protect himself, but it's also a Mother's Job to protect her children."

The Lady Hogwarts smiled at Minerva. _"I know that, I was counting on this very response from you. In time, after all this is over, your grandest wish and desire will come true." _

Minerva's eyes changed to that of a 'questioning' look.

Nodding her head, the Grand Lady Hogwarts continued, _"You will have many 'children', both of THIS world and another world. They all, each and every one will know you as their Matriarch, their Grandmother. Minerva – your House, through your Son and his wives, will continue forever, for worlds without end will be your progeny, your family and your destiny". _


	5. Chapter 5: The Secret

**Chapter 5**

**The Secret: Forgiveness, and Help Given**

**Or, **

**Families Sticking Together**

Author's Note:

This chapter takes on a 'fact of life', whether it's our 'real life' or that of what happens in the Magical World. I'm kinda nervous about doing it, but, seeing how the Lady Hogwarts helped Harry at the end of the first story, I got to thinking what that'd implied, or could have implied, so, I wrote this chapter to see how it'd go. There are a few 'gliches' so bear with me, maybe a few constructive ideas, not FLAMES!, mind you, but ideas as to show how you think of reality creeping into Harry's World. Recall how every action has it's own equal and opposite reaction, and also the 'Law of unintended consequences'? This chapter is what that's all about.

A point to remember in this second installment of 'Harry and Daphne' is that Harry is still the eighteen year old, adult in the Magical world, as is Daphne, Hermione and Susan. It's just that they've been sent back to their younger years. Minerva is fully aware of who Harry and the women are from their previous life time. Minerva, like them, still has all her memories.

None of us are perfect; We all make mistakes, no matter our age, status, or knowledge. During our path through life we all learn at various rates. It is part of 'who we are', to give help to those of us who need it. I'm trying to show real emotions just like we here have seen them, and how they're handled. This in no way implies acceptance of any wrongful actions, just that mistakes are made and what the right thing to do to face up to it. That shows maturity.

This story, this chapter in particular, shows that most basic of Rules. No matter what we've done, forgiveness is at hand. Love is the most powerful of emotions as Harry seemingly could testify, but not yet. On the other hand, there is one person in this story who could definitely testify as to the overwhelming strength, power and tenacity of Love, and here, you'll see that very rule, in action, set before you, and it's intended?, consequences, which are far reaching, in the extreme. Remember: Love has no boundaries. Love is eternal, no matter the composition of your, our, bodies.

Oh, remember me mentioning that ' ' type of ending in my story? Well, this isn't the ending, so, (Smile here and laugh),

Read, and definitely, Enjoy!

Minerva just stood there, looking at the Lady Hogwarts, trying to fathom what she'd just been told. 'My family will never end, for world's without end, and they'll all look up to me, me, as their Matriarch.' Minerva just looked back up at her. She was just standing there, smiling. And nodding her head as if, in answer to my thoughts.

"What about you, what'll happen to you?" Minerva asked.

_"__I can't say, directly, for now, but, you do remember, previously, that your Son gave me my Free Agency, my Freedom of Choice, don't you?" _

Minerva nodded her head in understanding. Suddenly, it hit her!

"You! You just said Harry will have many children on another world!" While Minerva was putting all this together in her mind, Lady Hogwarts was nodding her head in the affirmative, and, Smiling!

_"__You're catching on, Minerva. Please, continue your logic." _

"I've seen the way you look at my Son." Minerva walked around her office, pacing, thinking. "You love him, don't you?" There, Minerva came right to the point! It could no longer be neither denied nor gotten around.

_"__Yes, I do love your Son, Minerva. I have, more fully, since he gave me my Free Agency, my Freedom of Choice. It was that 'Giving' by him that finally triggered what I'd been feeling for so long, but could not accept it. That, and his bravery, his willingness to give up everything he had and was. And the love that his wives and vassals had for him. It was a learning experience for me, too." _

Lady Hogwarts came closer to Minerva, taking her by her arms, gently, to have that 'human' touch about her. _"Minerva, when Harry asked me to give him all the Magical Power I had at my command, I knew I'd loose him. I knew, deep down in whatever it is that comprises my makeup, that he'd die."_ Lady Hogwarts continued to look at Minerva, directly, deeply into her eyes, and her mind, with tears running down her cheeks, and she confessed that which she'd never, ever thought would happen, could happen, to such a 'Being' as herself.

But, Minerva, being a woman, knew, or thought she did, what'd happened. "It was that giving of himself to you and his dire need for you and your help, that triggered it, wasn't it, Lady Hogwarts?"

She nodded her head in acknowledgment of Minerva's question.

Minerva smiled a loving smile. She opened her arms to the Grand Lady Hogwarts and drew her into her arms and hugged her for a very long time while the Lady Hogwarts just cried in the arms of Minerva.

Minerva, after a short while, drew her head back and looked at her, "This has happened to every woman who's ever lived. It's in our nature to do what you did when you love a particular man. That's the nature of Love, Lady Hogwarts. You just did what comes naturally to all of us women."

"_Well, I know that now, Minerva, thanks for your explanation. It's just that I didn't know what else to do for Harry when he asked me to give him all I had. There was no other way for him to handle the tremendous stress of that amount of Magical Power, even with his willingness to accept it. I just had to merge my own self with him in order to give him the strength that he needed then. That's why he glowed when he did. It was signifying of our merging of our bodies, kind of like what you mortals do when you make love with each other, willingly. And I was definitely most willing to do that with Harry. Minerva, I just didn't know, not really, that it'd happen the first time with me!" _

Lady Hogwarts was laughing and crying both at the same time. Finally, looking up at the Headmistress, she asked, _"Minerva, what am I to do? What will Harry's other wives and vassals say to me? They'll treat me horribly! In all my thousand year lifespan, I've learned many things, but THIS, I, I just don't know how to handle it! I've never, ever expected this to happen to me."_

"Lady Hogwarts, Harry's wives and vassals will not think bad of you. Not where it concerns Harry. He was in this right along with you." Minerva paused for a moment, then added, "Well, maybe he didn't really realize the full extent of what he was actually doing, but, you helped him, us, everyone, and they'll not forget it. You'll be the first in his family! Remember that! You're very special. You're needed, along with harry, and the others. I'll bet the other Headmaster's up there on the wall have never had a problem like this!" Minerva smiled and laughed some, which broke the tension, because the Lady Hogwarts was also laughing.

_"__Maybe I should go see Madam Pomfrey?" _

Minerva thought for a moment, "Well, why not? Can't hurt. Let's go. The walk will do us both some good."

Some time later, the two women walked into the Medical Wing and approached Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy, it's good to see you. I do hope you have some time. You do know the Lady Hogwarts here, don't you? From the Feast this evening. She'd like to talk with you."

"Oh, hi, Minny. What is it you need to see me about?" Poppy turned to the Lady Hogwarts when she asked the question.

"Well, to start off, I'd like for you to treat me as one of your patients, your more Human patients, that is, if you can."

Poppy raised her eyebrow at that. "Well, I'll do my best. What its it you want or need? I've never treated anyone, well, such as yourself."

Lady Hogwarts looked at Minny and hesitated. She placed her hands on her belly, slightly below her waist line. She looked at Poppy, tears were beginning to run down her gentle cheeks, she just couldn't stop them.

Poppy, well, she'd been a Healer here for as long as Minny was here, in fact, they'd been dorm mates all through school, and they'd just never left, so they had such a long track record together, they 'knew' each other without even asking. "I know the signs well enough, Lady Hogwarts, You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Poppy looked at Lady Hogwarts and the 'look' was returned. All she could do was nod her head in answer.

"When did this happen? I need to know so I can determine your delivery date." Poppy asked.

It was Minerva who answered that question, partly. "It only happened, what," she looked at the Lady Hogwarts, "by our time, yesterday, I'd think. Anyway, it's very recent."

Poppy looked up at the two with questions abounding in her eyes.

Minerva spoke next, "Poppy, we've known each other since our first year here. You, more than any other person, know more about me than anyone, so let us tell you a story."

Poppy frowned some, but Minerva continued.

"What I'm about to tell you is known but to only six other people, living, that is. And that doesn't include the Portraits in my office and in the rest of this Castle, and that's by the decree of the Lady Hogwarts, here. All of what I'm about to confide in you has a direct bearing on her condition. At our faculty meeting earlier this evening, I'd already sworn my oath that what I said then was true. It's the same now, and my oath still holds."

The three women sat down and Poppy learned the entire story, ALL of it. It took the Lady Hogwarts some memory transfers and verbal explanations, but after some time, Poppy just sat back and exhaled a lot of pent up air. Finally, "Look, I'll have to have you come by and see me, privately, and give you a general check up and all the other tests, as best as I can. It'll be some time towards the end of the school year when you're delivered, and just how that'll be, I just don't know, other than the normal way, I'd like to think. Lady Hogwarts, you're the most special patient this castle will ever have, and you're doing me a great honor to allow me the privilege of helping you. But, sometime, sooner rather than later, you're going to have to talk to Harry. He does deserve to know."

_"__I know, and I will. Thank you so much for helping me. I'll return here when you need me. Just call out my name, quietly and I'll be here." _

They got up and left, walking back to Minerva's offices and private Quarters.

_"__Minerva, may I say something?" _

Minny looked over at her, raised her eyebrow, "Why, yes, of course you may." Minerva stopped walking and turned to her newest daughter in law, held her by both hands. "You may talk with me anytime you feel the need to. That's what families are for, and we're Family now, you're the one who told me that, remember?" Minerva smiled, then added, "Now's not the time for forgetfulness!"

Both women smiled and laughed some. _"You're right, Minerva, of course."_

_"__Harry and the ladies who are with him, they are really grown, mature, of legal age. You do realize that, don't you? All of what's happened, to me, to them, happened at the end of their previous life. All I did was bring them back into who they were, or would have been, in this lifetime." _The Lady Hogwarts placed her hands on her chest, over her heart, for emphasis. _"Who they are, inside, is what counts. Anytime you feel the need, or they do, I can bring them back, to the here and now, to what they were, previously, in their previous bodies, as grown mature students. That is still within my Power." _

Minerva stopped thinking and just stared at her. 'What?' She started thinking again. "Is that possible?" She just had to ask even though she knew the answer before she even asked it.

Smiling a bit, the Lady Hogwarts nodded her head. "_If you know how these bodies are created, formed, it's quite easy. Your Potions work on the same principles, roughly. It's just that my Magic, my Knowledge on how they work is more advanced." _She looked down for a bit, knowing it'd be difficult for her to admit this next piece of information. "_What I said, earlier, in your office, about my feelings for Harry, my Heir, is true. I didn't intend for this to happen, it just did. Sometimes, now, I feel like all these young ladies who've been going to school here for these past Thousand Years. I've watched them all, everyone, fall in love with the man of their dreams and wondered what it was like, from their point of view. I just didn't that my Free Agency, my Freedom of Choice, to truly experience it. Minerva, for all my extended and extraordinary life span I still am now, just learning how to handle these human emotions that you've grown up with from the very beginning of your own short life span. I Desperately need your help! Here, in these matters of the heart, you're my teacher and I'm your student. I so love Harry, for all that he's been through and done and risked for others, he has no guile nor hatred for those who've hurt him, in the past. He's totally unlike any other who've ever been here, and that's what's attracted me to him. Where he's concerned, I'm drawn to him like a moth to a flame, trying to get as close to the light, that is HIM, without getting burned, yet, I got burned, and for the rest of eternity, I'll be faced with the consequences of my decision's and actions. I so desperately need your help so I know the right thing to do. I don't want to hurt him, nor you, nor the rest of his wives and Vassals. All you mean so much to me. Please, Minerva, help me! Please, don't condemn me. I couldn't live if any of you did that!" _The lady Hogwarts broke down, and laid her head on Minerva's older shoulders and cried her eyes out. The heaving sobs could be heard by all the paintings in the Castle, and they were so quiet, so somber and for all of their experiences in life, they now wanted to help the one person who'd always been there to help and protect them. It was now, that Hogwarts' Grand Protector for a Thousand years, now needed their help.

**Sub-Chapter 5-A**

******* Time to get the Ball rolling *******

In the Gryffindor Common room, the new students were getting settled. To Harry and the other ladies, it was all 'business as usual', for them, anyway. In the boys' dorm, were Neville, Seamus, Dean, Ron, and Harry. Let it be said from the very start that Harry and Neville got along great, Seamus was just interested in the girls, Dean was just looking and trying to be friends with everyone, which was good in and of itself, but, then, then there was Ron.

Already, he had a 'name', the kind of name that no one in their right mind would want, no matter how much you'd try to defend it.

And Ron had it.

Ron came in to his Dorm and saw who he considered his 'nemesis', one Harry James Potter, and like he'll always be remembered, his temper just got the best of him and his mouth started without going through his brain first, like it should.

"Well, looks like I'll have to be spending the next seven years with the Rich boy who lived, the really famous Hero of the Wizarding world." Ron threw his stuff around, making it like his own room back at the Burrow.

"Hey, Potter! If you're so famous for all that stuff that Ghost said you'd done, why is it I've never heard of it?" Ron had a look on his face that Harry saw could best Snape's old 'Sneer'.

Harry stopped putting his possessions in order and looked at the boy who could have been his friend, and much more than that, in the line of the 'things of this world' that Ron so lacked.

'Maybe his temper, and how he doesn't handle it, is the reason for his not having, being 'given' the things he really wants. If only he knew.' Harry just looked at Ron, not saying a word nor giving an expression on his face.

"Ron, until you calm down and treat me with some modicum of respect, I don't have to answer your question. It's my business, not yours. But, just to give you some information, what I did, gives you the pleasure of talking about me in any way you want. You've got your freedom which is one of the many things you wouldn't have had it not been for me and five other women." Just go outside where the bare Granite stone is in front of the Schools front doors and look at the footprints there. In addition to that, I've got my memories and I can swear a Magical Oath in front of this entire school, and in addition to THAT, I will willingly take Veritiserum and you or anyone else can ask me any question and I'll HAVE to answer truthfully! So, go to your father, Arthur Weasley, who works in the Muggle Artifacts office and see what he or anyone else can do to support your poor attitude towards me!"

Harry slammed shut his trunk, took out his wand and performed a locking charm on it. A very advanced charm that was beyond even that of a seventh year, which also made his trunk imperturbable.

"And, to put it Bluntly, you're supposed to be in the Slytherin Dorms, so I'd strongly suggest that you pack your bloody trunk, NOW, and get your scrawny arse down there! If you DON'T, then I'll have you removed, by force, if need be! So, Don't Push me!" Harry was on a roll, his magic was pouring off of him in waves, sparkling and glowing with a shine to him that caused the others to back away.

Harry turned to the others and saw them back away, he saw the frightened look on their faces. "you all don't have to fear me nor have any worry. I'll not hurt any of you." Harry turned to Ron and pointing his finger at him, he completed his thought, "It's Ron here who's pushed me too far with his baseless accusations! I'll not stand for it anymore!"

"Make me, you Half Blood Traitor!" Ron shouted.

Before Ron could finish taking a breath from his curse towards Harry, Harry had, wandlessly, Silenced, Bound and Levitated him and his trunk off the floor and headed out the Dorm Room door and down the stairs. There the rest of the Lions could only gape in surprise at what was happening.

Percy Weasley, the Prefect, hurried up and asked, "What's going on here?"

"You should know, Percy! Your brother here was sorted into the House of Slytherin, not Gryffindor. I'm packing him up and getting him out of here. You should have been doing YOUR job and not letting him in not letting a first year do your job for you! You should have sent him off to his own House!"

"Oh, and for your information, your brother doesn't seem to be able to get along with me. He has some jealousy issues, which should be looked into."

"Potter, my brother was resorted back into Gryffindor House, that's why he's here! Maybe you should get your information straight before you make accusations that you can't back up!" Percy was getting into Harry's face.

"Percy!, maybe you can't tell the difference between a Gryffindor Emblem and a Slytherin Emblem!" Harry took Ron's robes by the Emblem that was still on it and pulled it into Percy's face. "Here! Take a look, see the difference between yours and his! If he was actually resorted, he'd have the Gryffindor Emblem on his Robes! This is a School that teaches Magic and the schools' Magic would have put the correct Emblem on his Robes! Maybe, you should have a letter put into your school records that says you can't tell the difference between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor Emblem! The Ministry would have a field day with that, wouldn't they, 'Weasleby'!? Of course, I imagine Lord Lucius Malfoy wouldn't mind that, seeing as how he's Fudge's right hand man! You ought to look into Malfoy's personal friends and ask the Goblins about Fudge's secret Vaults! You'd fit right in with them, 'Weasleby'!" Harry was on a roll and he knew it. Of course, the things he 'spilled' was not entirely accidental. Susan Bones was there in the Common Room, her Aunt, being her Father's Sister, was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, better know by it's initials: the 'DMLE'. Having Amelia come into ANYONE'S picture or business always brought fear in their hearts, the complexion pale, and words studdering.

Percy's face was as red as a tomato. He took his brother out of the dorm, his trunk floating behind him and they weren't seen again for a rather long time.

Hermione came up next to Harry, her face smiling. "You did a good job there, Sweetie. Might as well light a few fires under the guilty butts to get things started." She kissed him on his cheek.

Many faces in the Common Room, well, ALL the Lions were looking at the confrontation and saw the kiss that Hermione gave Harry. But, what surprised them all was when Daphne and Susan came up beside him.

"Harry, I'll send an Owl to my Auntie tonight about what I 'heard', I'm sure she'll be very interested and start an investigation. Might make for some interesting times!" She looked at him, and followed up with the 'surprise'. "Oh, and here's your Reward for doing your good deed for the day!" With that said, she kissed him, hard, on the lips, with her tongue quite busy.

Daphne came up, took Harry in her arms and kissed him also on the lips, pulling away, saying, none to quietly, "Harry, you belong to all of us! Keep doing stuff like that, and you're definitely gonna get 'Rewarded'!" The three witches walked off, swaying their bums, ohh, just right!

Jaws dropped that night in the Lions Den and forever after that moment, Harry was 'Marked' as belonging to those three witches! Not one witch ever even tried to approach Harry, for fear of what those three, both WOULD do and COULD do!

That night, Harry was preparing to go to bed when Seamus said to Harry, in a congratulatory way, "Harry, you're one Good and Lucky Wizard!" He smiled.

Harry smiled.

Dean Smiled.

Neville Smiled.

That evening, Susan wrote a letter to her Aunt, outlining what happened in the Great Hall, the Lady Hogwarts and the events that transpired in the Gryffindor Common room, including what Harry had said to the Gryffindor Perfect concerning Lucius and Fudge. What she didn't know, was the revelations that went on between Minerva, Poppy and the Lady Hogwarts. She sealed it up and sent it off with Harry's Owl, the ever present Hedwig.

The next morning was a disaster of the first order. At breakfast, Amelia came in and talked to Minerva right off. She'd known that Harry was here and couldn't wait to hear him and talk with him. Of course, she still had her memories,and with all that, she wanted to do more than just 'talk' with Harry, but, socially, things being what they were, it just wasn't possible, not yet. She'd have to wait.

In to the Great Hall walked Amelia Bones, the Head of the D.M.L.E. Next to the Minister himself, she carried the most weight, and if the truth be said, she was the most feared of all the Ministry Employees, even more so than of the Wizengamot itself!

"Good morning, Amelia." Minerva started the salutations. Both Women got along very well, Amelia was quite a bit younger than Minerva, but still, they were the best of friends and the trust they'd built up over the many years was implicit.

"I've a few questions, seems I've got an investigation to carry out and I need to talk with my Niece and one other student. Would that be possible?"

"Yes, of course. Who's the other student?" Minerva asked, but she knew, deep down who it was. It was just a feeling she had over the years she'd known Harry, and it seemed to her that anytime trouble came, Harry was not far away.

She smiled and said, "You may talk with Harry all you need to Amelia, anytime you need to, you have my permission. He's all yours."

When she said that, heads turned, eyes opened wide, but unlike Ron, mouths stayed shut, even among the students who over heard what was said.

Except for one.

He stood up, making himself even more visible and obvious. "Well, it's about time you got your bloody arse over here to take care of that half blooded freak of a jumped up wizard! He's got that old hag of a Headmistress convinced along with that rotten smelly hat to stick me in with these Snakes! I'm here to let you know I'm gonna press charges and see his bloody arse in Azkaban! So, get moving, ya one eyed monocled freak. You heard me, the Wizards are talking and you'd better get yur lazy female arse in gear!"

Minerva turned around and in a few strides, was standing in front of one Ronald Bililus Weasley, her wand pointing out directly in between his eyes. Not one word was spoken, no one even took a breath. The Stillness of the Grave was more noisy than the Great Hall at Mealtime among a bunch of teenagers eating and talking at that moment. Every eye was upon Ron and Minerva.

"Weasley! Stand up! NOW!" Minerva barked out an order that sent shivers down the spine of the older students, especially those who had put in their application to be Aurora's. Minerva turned to Amelia, saying, "He's all your's , Madam Bones!"

The Head of the DMLE stood in front of Ron and asked: "You know who I am?" She barked out.

Ron just nodded dumbly. He'd already pissed his pants and the stench of urine was permeating the Great Hall. Those poor students who'd had the misfortune to be sitting next to him would have gladly traded places with the dead.

"To inform your Neanderthallic Thick skull, I am the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and this office requires Respect that you seem incapable of both acknowledging and giving! I personally know your father, Arthur Weasley! How could a good man, like him, could ever produce a knuckle-headed, boy who speaks before he even THINKS of the consequences of his mouth, is beyond me. How you even managed to get an invitation to this fine school is a question I'm taking up with the Headmistress this very hour. And, your Father! I have the power to haul your scrawny arse up before the ministry and toss you in Azkaban for a minimum of one year, wand broken, naked, and at hard labor with bread and water! You have embarrassed not only yourself, but, you have negated any remote possibility of even garnering a marriage contract with any witch. There are many families who are desperate to marry off their daughter to a pure-Blood Wizard, but as of this very moment, not one of them would taint themselves with You! The next time you open your mouth and embarrass yourself, and your three brothers here, Detentions and points will be the least of your problems! THIS – is your LAST CHANCE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

The Spital was flying out of her mouth and covered Ron's face, dripping off of his nose, lips and cheeks.

"Ye – Yes, Yes Mam! I understand" Ron stuttered out.

"You are to stay in the Noble House of Salazar Slytherin for the rest of your education here at this school, your robes are to reflect that! Do you understand that?"

As soon as she uttered those words, Ron's Emblem and robes, and tie automatically changed over that that of the Noble House of Slytherin, thus sealing the House of Designation.

"Ye – Yes, Mam!"

"You are to report to my office after the last class on Friday, to be escorted by your Father. You are to work on a Muggle Cleaning Service cleaning out Muggle shit houses, BY HAND, every Weekend, eight hours a day. You will be watched by one of my hand picked Aurora's. This will continue for EVERY WEEKEND till the last class before Yule Break! You will keep up your grades. You miss ONE DAY and I'll personally drag you out of this school and make sure you do your job. IF, for ANY reason, I see that you're not doing your job cleaning out those Muggle Shit Houses on construction sites, BY HAND, with NO MAGIC, you'll be doing it again for the entire summer!"

"Ye – yes Mam."

Amelia Bones turned and looked around, but before she did, she turned back to Ron and Nose to Nose, she told him something he'd never forget, and neither would any there who were listening: "I am a World Class Dueling Champion. There are only two who could hold their own against me and BOTH of them are sitting at that Faculty Table. There is only one Duelist in all the world who has the Power to defeat me and he is sitting in this very room at the table of Godric Gryffindor, and I DON'T mean at the Faculty Table! That is an example of the caliber of the people at this school."

Immediately, all the students looked around towards the Table of the Lions, and without question, all eyes were on one Harry James Potter. He just continued to look at Ron with his Emerald Green Eyes – Hard!

Looking around, she spotted the three she wanted! Pointing her finger, she said, three words, "You! You! And YOU!" the last was emphasized when she pointed at Percy. "Stand here in front of me, NOW! Front and Center!"

The twins and Percy moved like lightening.

"You three, I'm very proud of." Turning to the twins, "Especially you two. I've heard good things about you from many different sources, when you finish your education here, come see me for a job. Also, during the summer, I want you twins to come see me and work with me. Between now and then, you three keep your Brother," and here she pointed to Ron, "out of trouble." She patted them on their shoulders. Turning to Harry and Susan, "Scion of the House of Potter, and Scion of the House of Bones, come with me." Amelia turned and walked out of the Great Hall, followed by two smiling, and Seeming to be, First Years.

After they left, the whispering started like a landslide. Many were very proud of the twins, even Percy. Many had questions about Harry and Susan, but the one thread that wove itself through all the Houses was 'Ron!' No one wanted to talk with him nor even associate with him. The House of Slytherin was both Complimented and Seemingly cursed by having Ron there, but the Snakes settled on being glad the Head of the DMLE had complimented them.

After they three left the Great Hall, Amelia went to the faculty meeting room, which was just off of the Headmistress' office and connected to it. Once there, Amelia turned to a young Harry and smiled, "Harry, my Liege Lord, it's been so long since I've seen you. I've really missed you." They both hugged one another and kissed deeply, and afterwards, stayed in physical contact for a rather long while.

"I met the other three on the train yesterday." Harry said. "The only one I've not met, yet, is Rita. I don't know how to get in touch with her, other than by Owl. I think it'd be best to wait till I can see her in person. But, I'm so glad to see you, Amelia. I'm missed you very much." Harry hugged her again and this time, he didn't let go and from Harry's point of view, having a very desirable woman pressed up against himself was very arousing on Harry and he didn't try to hide it. Susan just wrapped her arms around him and held him between her and Amelia.

"I know you want to talk with me about what I said in the Common Room last night. Sorry, I got any trouble started."

"You have nothing to apologize about. What I can do is use the 'Anonymous lead' to start an investigation, which is what I really needed to get started. Already, it's created a real stink and caused both Lucius and Cornelius some real problems. Too many questions are being asked and it's starting to uncover other moles within the Ministry. Some have already left their jobs which leads to other investigations. I've already made a request of the Wizengamot to use Veritiserum to question Ministry Officials which in and of itself has caused widespread panic." Amelia stood back and smiled, "You know, sweetie, Since you returned to school here, after you defeated Voldemort and Albus, Life has been very good to me. Especially with all these Investigations that some 'Anonymous Source' left me! I just want to let you know, that I still owe my Allegiance to you, and I still love you, Harry."

"I know, Amelia, I know."Harry looked at her for a moment and whispered something in her ear, after which, she blushed crimson!

Susan just looked at them both and smiled.

"When we can get Rita together with us, we'll all be together then, a family!" That was all Harry could think of, being with his family.

Amelia had an idea, "Harry, love, would you want me to contact Rita and let her know you're back? I can do that without any questions being raised."

Harry looked at her and smiled. "Yes, yes, that'd be a good idea. Talk with her, see how she still feels about me and if she still wants to be with me, maybe we can find a way to meet on a Saturday, under the guise of meeting with you? It's just a thought, so if it doesn't work out, just let us know, maybe through Susan."

Amelia wrapped her arms around the man she dearly loved, the mature man in spirit who's spirit had been transferred back to his younger self so he could live. Harry rested his head on her chest, feeling her softness that he still so much desired. He wished he were his eighteen year old self like he was previously, but he had the patience to wait, if that is what it would take.

"I'll do that, love, I'll do it. Anything for you. I just wish we didn't have to be sent back here. Sometimes I feel like you got cheated, but, we'll work this out. Just take care of Susan, Daphne and Hermione for me."

"I will, Amelia. I always take care of my family. I just wished that I was still older so I wouldn't be under such constraints as I am. Still, I've got my Mum, Minerva here, and she's just the best. I couldn't ask for more, though I do miss seeing the Lady Hogwarts. She's not seen me since the Opening Feast last night. I do hope she's ok."

Behind Harry, someone cleared their throat, mainly to get his, and their, attention. Harry and Susan turned around, while Amelia looked up, she was smiling. "Minerva, is all ok with your school? Harry and I were just talking and getting back together. I do hope that meets with your approval." She and Harry had one arm wrapped around each other with Susan standing on the other side, her arm also around her Liege Lord's waist, as she wanted.

"Oh, yes, all is alright. Seeing as how you got here so early this morning, oh, and I do hope you are very successful in your investigation of both Fudge and Lucius. That alone will help us a lot and wipe out so many of the embedded scum in the Ministry."

"It certainly will, Minerva, and I appreciate that bit of information. It got me started and fully aware that Harry is now back and ready to do his job in helping us. I am curious as to just 'how' the Lady Hogwarts did what she did to help Harry here, and us. I am very grateful, though, to have my memories, still, . . . I, I do have questions as to how she did it." Amelia was now looking at Harry, pulling him so much closer to her own very warm and soft body. Harry was getting somewhat, well, a LOT, of VERY personal reactions from being so close to the women he dearly loved.

Amelia looked at Harry, her Liege Lord, and smiled. She also licked her lips, unconsciencely, and said to him, "Why, Harry, you're blushing! Is anything the matter?"

"Uh, well, it's just, I'm a bit," Harry was squirming a lot to get his clothes readjusted for a better 'fit'. "Kneazle got your tongue, my Liege Lord!" Amelia said in a lowered, but in a DEFINITELY 'husky' voice. Amelia was in no better shape than Harry was!

"I do hate to break up this gathering, but there's been a 'development' that ALL of you should know about." Minerva began.

Talk about a wet blanket! When she said those few words, the three of them sobered up like a judge immediately.

"What is it, Mum?" Harry asked.

"Well, first of all, you need to get Rita together so that all five of you can hear this, you too, Son. The Lady Hogwarts has an interesting 'Development' that's occurred, something she just didn't really think about nor take into consideration."

Amelia looked at her old friend, one eyebrow raising up slightly, while Minerva just looked at her with a facial expression that conveyed such a sad expression.

"I took her to see Madam Pomfrey. She's alright, for her condition, but it's something that has to be dealt with."

"Son, I'm going to excuse you and Daphne, Hermione and Susan here from classes all day today, while you all get together with Rita. You six will be meeting with the Lady Hogwarts, I'll be there with you, but only if you want me there. This is something that a Family has to deal with." Minerva looked at her son, her hands taking and holding gently his own hands. "I know you're all grown up, inside, that you've actually lived out your first eighteen years, and this is just another body, temporary as it is, but there are things, development's, that you will now have to deal with and accept. We're all here with you."

"Is she alright? What's wrong?" Harry started asking questions. He was stopped by both his Mum and Amelia.

"Your first priority is to get with Rita and see if she still wants to be with you. Then, afterwards, Amelia here, will set up a place and the Lady Hogwarts will come and talk with all of you, together. Some things have just happened rather unexpectedly, somewhat ahead of their time, but we'll all work it out." Here, Minerva placed her hands on her son's shoulders and looked directly at him, "Son, you're a grown man now, and it's time to, well, I was going to say, take responsibilities, but, you've already done that previously. Just, listen to advice, and know that we're all here beside you."

"But, Mum! What is it?"

"The Lady Hogwarts will tell you all about it. She can do a better job than any of us, mostly due to her being a little different from us, in some respects, but not all matters. Just go with them and you'll be ok. You'll understand soon enough. And remember: None of this was deliberately done, it was all an unexpected consequence of your very heroic actions." Minerva hugged her son and sent them, and him, on their way."

As they were walking out of the Castle, the home to the most powerful young Wizard who'd ever walked the Earth, Minny just watched them all leave, and said but two words, "Oh, Harry!" She had that cryptic smile on her face. What the Lady Hogwarts said previously, was coming true. 'What will the child be like?' was her only thought.

Amelia, Harry, Daphne, Hermione and Susan walked out of the Castle and outside the Gates, pass the Ward's that guarded the Castle. "Here, take these portkeys and we'll go to my family's home." There, they all disappeared and reappeared in front of the gates of the Bones Family Estate.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

** The Bones Estate**

What Amelia didn't know was that the Lady Hogwarts was aware of their coming to the Bones Estate. Since they'd all be alone there with no prying eyes, she did them all a favor and advanced their bodies to that of what they should be, in other words, they now looked like their real, actual age. Lady Hogwarts was there, viewing them from a short distance, enjoying their company, their 'presence'. She looked upon her Heir and who she's now come to realize, is her lover, the one whom she's waited for for over a Millennium. She just stood there, not interfering but instead feeling feelings that once were so 'alien' to her that now she's come to accept them. Her heart was full to overflowing with the love she now has come to accept for that tall, mature, messy black haired, young man who'd given his all both to her, and their people, so that they all could live.

She saw them all hug each other, their arms wrapped around him in their loving embrace, an act that she so much wanted to do.

Her thoughts went back to that time that she was asked by Harry to give him all that she had, all the Magic she could come up with and produce. She knew, then, that that alone would kill him and she could not live with that on her newly found, and given, conscience. So, in order for him to accomplish his work, she 'merged' herself with him, she enveloped his own physical body with her magical body. In doing so, she could feel his presence all around her, all inside her, and with her newly given Freedom of Choice, she felt love for the first time. She felt what it was like for a woman to be 'possessed' by her lover and she wanted it again and again.

Not knowing if he'd survive the tremendous onslaught of the prodigious amount of magical force that she was then giving him, she could feel the stress loads bearing down on him. So, to keep some part of him alive and with her, she took from him a part of him and kept it within her own magically formed body. She is and was, a magical construct fashioned over a thousand years ago, given all the knowledge that her four creators had ever possessed. She could control all the magic that the castle contained and had at it's command, except for one area, one 'gift', one 'ability' that she was not given by the Four Founders who were her creators:

She was not given the Power of Choice, Free Will, Freedom of Choice.

Only those who were Mortal had that most desirable of gifts, the most rare of all gifts and abilities. Of all that she could do, and she could do it all, that which she desired more than anything was to have Free Will.

And she was given it, by her Heir, in his most desperate time of need. He unknowingly gave to her what she'd desired for a thousand years and she'd not forgotten what she then 'owed' to this unselfish young man for giving to her a most prized and desirable gift.

Now, she could do anything!

What the all knowledgeable Lady Hogwarts didn't realize or stop to think of what would/will happen was what she did, had it's unintended consequences. What she did was what women throughout the ages did, though she did it in a most unusual way, though the end results were the same.

As she was seeing her Heir being lead by his Ladies into their Home, she realized that they'd be here for a few days, unmolested, not bothered, so, she gave him back 'what' he was, his original bearing, his original looks and body. THIS, her gift to him, one of many that she'll always owe him, for an eternity of Worlds without end. Afterall, she now carries within her a part of him!

Amelia, while she was leading Harry into her Family Home, it was Daphne who'd first recognized the change in Harry.

He was his now eighteen years old self.

"Harry!" Daphne said out loud. "Look at yourself! What's happened?"

Immediately, all the women looked at Harry, gasping in their sudden realization of the change that'd come over him.

It was Hermione who'd stated the possible obvious. "Looks like the Lady Hogwarts has given our Harry his looks back to him. Frankly, I prefer him this way. He's more delicious looking!"

"Oh, Harry! You look much better this way! SO much better!" It was Amelia who spoke up, licking her lips in her sudden anticipation of what she might be 'having' in the next few days.

"Well, with the way our Harry looks now, lets all get inside and make ourselves more comfortable, shall we?" It was Daphne speaking. Meanwhile, Susan was just looking on shaking her head.

"It would be much more nice if she could also give us that 'make over' that she gave our Harry!" Susan was very logical in her request.

Lady Hogwarts heard what was said and complied with Susan's request, so, in a blink of an eye, the other three young women were given their older bodies that they were much more used too.

They three looked at one another, and again at themselves, twirling around, holding hands, hugging each other for such a joyous occasion.

"Well, looks like we'll all be having a great time for the next few days, won't we?" It was Daphne who spoke.

"Without a doubt, Daphne. The only question is 'Who's first?' Susan said.

"Lets let Harry determine that, shall we? There's lots of him to go around, so remember, lets not any of us be greedy."

So, lets go in, shall we? It was Hermione talking logically.

With Harry standing by her side, Amelia led them all into her Family Home and got them all settled.

"Susan, would you show Daphne and Hermione to their rooms? Please. I'll show Harry here, around our home. After all, we're part of him now. Our Home is his Home." Amelia smiled at Harry, taking his hand in hers, gently, softly.

"Harry, you've always been my Liege Lord, and Susan's, too. I don't begin to know nor understand how the Lady Hogwarts brought us here after how you defeated both Voldemort and that Demon who portrayed himself as Albus. All I know is that I'm so grateful to be alive and free and see you standing by my side. I've been so lonely without you."

Amelia wrapped her arms around Harry and hugged him, kissed him, deeply, intimately, pressing her body hungrily up against his, showing him how much she dearly wanted him, taking her.

"Harry, my dearest, I'm still yours."

Harry looked at his dear Amelia. "I know, Amelia, oh, how much I know. To me, it just feels like a few days ago, that we were all standing outside Hogwarts, with both of our enemy's lying dead at our feet and all of us, free! All I can remember after that is you five pleading for me with the Lady Hogwarts."

Harry looked down and away, searching for the right words.

"I was dying, Amelia. I knew it. And for the first time in my short life, I could feel the weight of all my responsibilities no longer pressing me down. At that moment, I was FREE! Totally and absolutely FREE!

And, I could rest."

Harry's posture slumped a little. He looked tired. Turning towards Amelia, Susan, Daphne, and Hermione, "Seems like I can't get enough rest. Even on the train to school, it was all I could do to rest. Daphne, here, and Hermione, they both defended me and protected me. I owe them." Harry reached over and took both of their hands in his, squeezing them gently, softly. He looked up into their eyes, sighing softly.

"But, you know something? Here, under the roof of this home, OUR home, I have my family together, with me. Each of you mean the world to me, both individually, and together. I love each of you, and Rita, equally. I need each of you, for just WHO you are. You are all equal in my eyes and that will remain so forever."

Tears began forming in Harry's eyes, his amazing Emerald Green Eyes that were given to him by his birth Mother, Lily, who got them from one of the Founders.

Harry couldn't help it; His emotions were beginning to get the best of him, so before he'd embarress himself, he tried to leave, but was restrained.

Arms of the gentlest, wrapped themselves around him, first Daphne, then Hermione and Susan, and finally, Amelia's. Harry was home now, for this weekend, with his wives and Vassals. He'd been with his Mum, raised in this life, in the Grand Castle, but what he really needed were his wives and Vassals' arms around him, holding him, loving him. And 'receiving' him as their husband.

Getting up, Amelia gave out suggestions to the others. "Susan, would you and the rest take Harry up to his room that we've prepared for him? Please? Let him rest some. I've got to go get Rita. It's time for her to join us."

"Ok, Auntie." Susan replied and getting up with the rest of the women, they helped Harry up to his room. Amelia watching them all go upstairs. She had a smile on her face with a tear running down her cheek. A tear of Happiness, of Joy unbounded, now that the man of her dreams, her very own Liege Lord was now within the walls of her home, His Home. Now, maybe all their dreams and promises and hopes would begin to come true.

Shaking her head some, she walked to the fireplace and tossing in floo powder she called out to the office of the Daily Prophet, "Rita Skeeter?"


End file.
